Hong Jun-pyo "Is it proper exercise of prosecutorial power to take out frustration by embarrassing the First Lady?"

"Internal Issues Should Have Been Resolved Privately"

Hong Joon-pyo, the mayor of Daegu, criticized Prosecutor General Lee Won-seok's public apology regarding the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office's private summons and investigation of First Lady Kim Keon-hee at a third location, questioning, "Is it proper exercise of prosecutorial power to take out frustrations by embarrassing the First Lady by putting her on the photo line?"

On the 23rd, Mayor Hong posted on his social media, "In August 1997, Prosecutor General Kim Ki-soo, who arrested Kim Hyun-chul, son of former President Kim Young-sam (YS), immediately submitted his resignation, apologizing to the president," and added, "Prosecutor General Lee Won-seok, who is about to retire, apologized to the public and ordered an internal inspection after privately investigating the First Lady at a third location. What is the proper behavior as the head of the prosecution organization?"

Mrs. Kim Geon-hee. [Photo by Yonhap News]

Mayor Hong said, "Is it really necessary to embarrass the First Lady by putting her on the photo line to take out frustrations as a proper exercise of prosecutorial power?" He added, "Before the law, one must be a legal professional who at least knows how to show courtesy, and as the head of the prosecution organization, isn't it right to handle internal issues privately?" He further criticized, "This behavior is just like the internal conflicts within the prosecution during the Moon Jae-in administration," and warned, "Because of that, the prosecution lost all investigative powers and collapsed."

This appears to be aimed at the controversy surrounding the private summons and investigation of the First Lady. On the 20th, the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office investigation team summoned Kim Keon-hee to a government security building under its jurisdiction for a face-to-face investigation. Prosecutor General Lee criticized the summons, stating that regardless of whether he had supervisory authority over the investigation, he should have been informed in advance about the investigation itself.

On the 22nd, Prosecutor General Lee stated, "The principle that 'there are no privileges or sacred areas before our law' was not upheld," and added, "Although I did not receive any reports from the frontline prosecutors' offices, it is entirely my responsibility for not properly leading them. I deeply apologize to the public."