Political Affairs Committee, Opposition Unilaterally Approves 'Complaint Against Former Head of Anti-Corruption Commission'... Ruling Party "Strongly Condemns"

Former Integrity Commissioner Im Yoon-joo Accused of Perjury
Corruption Investigation Office Requested Parliament Last Week to Prosecute Former Commissioner Im
Political Affairs Committee Passes Prosecution Bill Amid Ruling Party's Absence

Opposition lawmakers belonging to the National Assembly's Political Affairs Committee unilaterally approved the accusation against former Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission Planning and Coordination Office Director Im Yoon-joo. The People Power Party lawmakers issued a strongly worded statement condemning the Democratic Party, saying, "The Democratic Party has once again committed the atrocity of legislative dictatorship."

On the 9th at 11 a.m., the Political Affairs Committee held a plenary meeting and passed the agenda item titled 'Accusation of Witness (former Director Im Yoon-joo) for Perjury at the National Assembly Inspection.' The agenda was approved by the votes of the Democratic Party, the Party for Justice and Innovation, the Reform Party, the Progressive Party, and the New Future Party members, while the ruling People Power Party members were absent. The chairperson of the Political Affairs Committee is Baek Hye-ryun, a Democratic Party lawmaker.

On the 9th, Baek Hye-ryun, the chairperson of the National Assembly's Political Affairs Committee, is conducting a plenary session. During the session, the opposition party discussed a request for the High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Agency to file a complaint against Im Yoon-joo, former Planning and Coordination Officer of the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission, regarding allegations of a 'targeted audit' against former Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission Chairperson Jeon Hyun-hee. [Image source=Yonhap News]

The High-ranking Public Officials Crime Investigation Division of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) sent a request for investigative cooperation to the National Assembly on the 2nd, asking for the accusation of former Director Im Yoon-joo (currently head of the Government Joint Civil Complaints Center at the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission) on charges of violating the National Assembly Testimony and Inspection Act. Im is identified as the person who reported allegations of misconduct by former Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission Chairperson Jeon Hyun-hee to the Board of Audit and Inspection. Jeon is the elected representative of Jung-gu and Seongdong-gu B district for the 22nd general election from the Democratic Party.

The CIO believes that the Board of Audit and Inspection launched a 'targeted audit' against former Chairperson Jeon based on Im's report and began a full-scale investigation in September last year. During the 2022 and 2023 National Assembly inspections, Im answered questions about whether he had reported allegations against former Chairperson Jeon by stating that he had not made such reports. The CIO claims that Im's statements during the National Assembly inspection constitute 'perjury.'

Democratic Party lawmaker Oh Ki-hyung said at the Political Affairs Committee meeting that day, "If we do not accuse (former Director Im), false testimonies will continue to be rampant," adding, "The practice of conducting targeted audits on heads of institutions with guaranteed terms whenever the president changes must change." He continued, "If there is an issue, one should respond confidently, but if that response leads to false testimony, then the public cannot trust any answers from government officials during National Assembly inspections."

Immediately after the Political Affairs Committee adjourned, the People Power Party issued a condemnation statement. According to the statement, "This accusation requested by the CIO was unilaterally approved by the Democratic Party without consultation with the People Power Party," adding, "It is problematic to push forward a standing committee agenda without bipartisan agreement, but it is an even bigger problem to respond to the CIO's accusation request without careful consideration or legal review." The statement further said, "The Planning and Coordination Office Director in question still denies having committed perjury," and "Even if perjury was committed, it is an issue that the CIO should resolve through thorough investigation."

Furthermore, the statement criticized, "Nearly two years have passed since the CIO officially launched an investigation into the targeted audit allegations," and "Despite multiple raids on the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission and the Board of Audit and Inspection, nothing has been revealed, and now they are requesting accusations from the National Assembly under the pretext of 'investigative cooperation,' which is an admission of their incompetence." It added, "We strongly condemn the Democratic Party for neglecting the role and duty of the National Assembly," and "We clearly state that we absolutely cannot comply with this accusation request from the CIO."