Jung Cheong-rae: "Failure to Attend When Summoned... Malicious Intent"
Ruling and Opposition Clash Over Prosecution's Abandonment of Immediate Appeal
Prosecutor General Shim Woo-jung is arriving at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office in Seocho-gu, Seoul on the 12th. Photo by Yonhap News
The National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee has selected Prosecutor General Shim Woo-jung and Park Se-hyun, head of the Special Investigation Headquarters for Martial Law Prosecution (High Prosecutor), as witnesses for the emergency inquiry scheduled for the 19th. The inquiry is expected to focus intensively on the circumstances under which the prosecution gave up the immediate appeal during President Yoon Seok-yeol's release process.
At the plenary meeting of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee on that day, the agenda to summon Prosecutor General Shim and Head Park as witnesses for the emergency inquiry at 2 p.m. on the 19th was approved with 10 votes in favor and 7 against out of 17 members present. Members of the People Power Party expressed opposition.
Prosecutor General Shim and Head Park were also requested to attend the plenary meeting that day but did not comply.
Jung Cheong-rae, chairman of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee and a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, pointed out, "We requested the attendance of the Prosecutor General and the High Prosecutor today, but they did not come. This is malicious." He added, "Not coming when summoned by the National Assembly is malicious to the people."
He continued, "Because they did not attend today, they are being summoned as witnesses." If a witness is summoned but fails to appear without a clear reason, they may be reported for violating the National Assembly's testimony and appraisal law according to the standing committee's resolution.
The opposition parties, including the Democratic Party, are strongly criticizing the prosecution for giving up the immediate appeal against the cancellation of President Yoon's detention, citing concerns over unconstitutionality.
Park Chan-dae, floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, said at the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly that day, "Prosecutor General Shim, who has increased distrust in the judicial system and caused confusion, should resolve the issue by filing an immediate appeal," adding, "By immediately appealing and receiving a higher court's judgment, the confusion can be neatly resolved."
Park emphasized, "If the prosecution ultimately does not appeal, suspicions that this is 'tailored for Yoon Seok-yeol' will spread, and the prosecution organization will have to bear the stigma of being an accomplice to rebellion and providing judicial privileges."
Meanwhile, on that day, the ruling and opposition parties engaged in fierce disputes over the cancellation of President Yoon's detention.
Park Jun-tae, a member of the People Power Party, demanded the resignation of Oh Dong-woon, head of the High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Office, saying, "You used the president's arrest as a chance for the survival and revival of the Corruption Investigation Office, ignoring legal procedures and investigation practices and pushing it through."
In response, Director Oh of the Corruption Investigation Office rebutted, "There was absolutely no violation of due process during the execution of duties," and added, "It was accurately confirmed that jurisdiction and investigative authority exist from different judges of the Seoul Central District Court and the Seoul Western District Court."
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