Special Prosecutor Acts on Insurrection, Kim Keon Hee, and Chae Sangbyeong Passed
A Record 267 Investigators Assigned to the Insurrection Special Prosecutor Team
Lee: "Responding to the Public’s Will for Judgment on Insurrection and Restoration of Constitutional Order"
President Lee Jae Myung is presiding over the Cabinet meeting at the Presidential Office in Yongsan, Seoul on the 10th. Photo by Yonhap News
President Lee Jae Myung swiftly pushed through the so-called "three major special prosecutors"?the Special Prosecutor Act on Insurrection, the Kim Keon Hee Special Prosecutor Act, and the Chae Sangbyeong Special Prosecutor Act?early in his term to bring an end to the insurrection. According to President Lee, this decision was made in response to the public's desire for judgment on the insurrection and the restoration of constitutional order. The scale of the special prosecutor teams is the largest in history. As a result, full-scale investigations into major allegations that arose during former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s administration are expected to begin soon.
The Cabinet also approved several key legislative amendments, including the revised Prosecutors' Disciplinary Act, which expands the scope of disciplinary claims against prosecutors to include the Minister of Justice, and the abolition of the Ministry of Justice’s Personnel Information Management Division, which was responsible for high-level official vetting under the Yoon Suk Yeol administration. In addition, a revised presidential decree establishing the National Policy Planning Committee, which will serve as the new government’s transition committee, was also passed.
During his opening remarks at the Cabinet meeting, President Lee said, "Despite the difficult environment, I sincerely thank everyone for their hard work," and emphasized, "We are representatives of the people, entrusted with our duties by the public, not acting out of personal connections. Every moment is important, so do not let a single moment slip by, and do your utmost for the lives of 52 million citizens." The three special prosecutor acts reviewed and approved at the meeting will be promulgated following presidential approval and publication in the official gazette. The nomination of special prosecutors and formation of the special prosecutor teams are also expected to take place soon.
Three Major Special Prosecutor Acts Passed at Cabinet Meeting on the 10th... Significant Expansion of Investigative Personnel
The Special Prosecutor Act on Insurrection, passed at the meeting, aims to investigate a total of 11 allegations, including insurrection, foreign currency inducement, and military rebellion related to former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s declaration of the 12·3 Martial Law. The investigative personnel for the three special prosecutors will be the largest ever. The Insurrection Special Prosecutor team will have up to 267 members, more than double the size of the largest previous special prosecutor team, which investigated the state affairs manipulation scandal (105 members). The Kim Keon Hee Special Prosecutor team will consist of 205 members (1 special prosecutor, 4 assistant special prosecutors, 40 dispatched prosecutors, 80 dispatched public officials, and 80 special investigators), while the Chae Sangbyeong Special Prosecutor team will have 105 members (1 special prosecutor, 4 assistant special prosecutors, 20 dispatched prosecutors, 40 dispatched public officials, and 40 special investigators).
The Kim Keon Hee Special Prosecutor Act focuses on various cases involving Kim Keon Hee, the spouse of former President Yoon. The investigation will center on the Deutsche Motors stock price manipulation case, as well as allegations involving luxury bag gifts, suspicions related to "Geonjin Beopsa," alleged involvement in candidate nominations and illegal opinion polling with political broker Myung Taegyun, and a total of 16 charges. The size of the investigative team is also expected to be significantly expanded compared to previous cases.
The Chae Sangbyeong Special Prosecutor Act will focus on the case of Marine Corporal Chae’s death in July 2023 and suspicions of interference in the investigation by high-ranking government officials at the time. The Chae Sangbyeong case occurred during a search operation for missing persons amid heavy rains, but controversy over external pressure from the military leadership and the presidential office during the Yoon Suk Yeol administration has persisted. The government and ruling party plan to promptly begin the process of nominating and appointing special prosecutors after the special prosecutor acts are published in the official gazette. Once the three special prosecutor teams are formally launched, full-scale investigations are expected to commence.
Kang Yoo Jung, spokesperson for the Presidential Office, stated at a briefing that "the special prosecutor act for the fallen marine allows for investigations up to 140 days, while the other two special prosecutor acts allow for up to 170 days." She explained, "President Lee thoroughly gathered the opinions of current cabinet members and conducted a careful review, given that these special prosecutor acts had already been vetoed several times by the previous administration, before reaching a decision." She added, "The Lee Jae Myung administration’s decision to review and approve the three special prosecutor acts as its first legislative action is a measure that responds to the public’s desire for judgment on the insurrection and restoration of constitutional order, as confirmed in the June 3 presidential election."
Spokesperson Kang also conveyed that President Lee emphasized the public’s strong desire for the protection of the constitution and the restoration of democracy, which is reflected in the passage and promulgation of the special prosecutor acts. President Lee expressed hope that "the truth will be transparently revealed through the special prosecutors."
Prosecutors' Disciplinary Act Amendment Passed, Personnel Management Division Abolished
The Cabinet also approved amendments to the Prosecutors' Disciplinary Act and the abolition of the Ministry of Justice’s Personnel Information Management Division. The amendment to the Prosecutors' Disciplinary Act allows the Minister of Justice to directly request disciplinary reviews of prosecutors. This is seen as a clear reflection of the Lee Jae Myung administration’s policy to strengthen democratic oversight while ensuring the independence of the prosecution. The abolition of the Personnel Information Management Division is also intended to enhance the transparency and objectivity of high-level official vetting, which was a source of controversy during the Yoon administration. In May, three prosecutors from the division had already returned to local prosecutors' offices, effectively beginning the process of abolishing the division.
The Cabinet also passed a presidential decree amendment related to the operation of the National Policy Planning Committee, which will serve as the new government’s transition committee. On June 5, President Lee appointed Lee Han Joo, head of the Democratic Research Institute, as the committee chair and tasked him with designing the roadmap for future government policy over the next two months. The committee will be divided into sectors such as the economy and society to organize the Lee Jae Myung administration’s policy agenda by sector and prepare implementation roadmaps for each task.
Meanwhile, the Cabinet meeting also focused on current issues in society, diplomacy, and national security. On June 5, his second day in office, President Lee presided over his first Cabinet meeting, concentrating on economic issues. At that time, all Cabinet members had only a single roll of gimbap for lunch, and the meeting lasted for three hours and forty minutes.
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