Presidential Office: "Democratic Party's Claim of Chief of Staff Ordering PC Destruction Is False"

Presidential Office Denies
Democratic Party's Allegations of Attempting to Destroy Evidence of Insurrection

On May 27, the Presidential Office strongly expressed regret, stating that the Democratic Party of Korea's call for Presidential Chief of Staff Chung Jinseok to stop attempting to destroy evidence of insurrection was "based on false claims."

Earlier that day, Park Kyungmi, spokesperson for the Democratic Party's election committee, said in a briefing, "We received a report from a military intelligence agency official currently dispatched to the Presidential Office, alleging that last week Chief of Staff Chung instructed, 'Do not hand over anything to the new administration. Use physical means to destroy PCs and other devices if necessary.'"

Park added, "If this report is true, it amounts to an attempt to destroy evidence of insurrection, which is absolutely unacceptable. PCs and other devices in the Presidential Office are official presidential records and serve as vivid evidence of the 12·3 insurrection, and therefore must be preserved intact."

Park also urged Lee Jooho, Acting President and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education, to "immediately assess the situation and stop the destruction of evidence in the Presidential Office," warning, "If you condone this, you will be punished as an accomplice to insurrection."

In response, the Presidential Office refuted the claim, stating, "The Democratic Party's assertion that Chief of Staff Chung Jinseok instructed, 'Do not hand over anything to the new administration. Use physical means to destroy PCs and other devices if necessary,' is entirely untrue."

The Presidential Office further explained, "We have confirmed with the military intelligence agency official currently dispatched to the Presidential Office, who allegedly provided the tip to the Democratic Party, and found that the claim is completely false. The Presidential Office is taking all actions lawfully in accordance with the Act on the Management of Presidential Records."

Additionally, the Presidential Office demanded, "The Democratic Party must immediately cease its actions to undermine the Presidential Office based on unfounded reports," adding, "If such actions continue, the Presidential Office will take all necessary legal measures against the dissemination of false information."