Press Conference on Personnel Purge of Prosecutorial Dictatorship
On July 1, the Joguk Innovation Party stated, "Pro-Yoon political prosecutors should stop making excuses and immediately resign voluntarily."
Kang Kyungsook, Deputy Floor Leader of the National Innovation Party, is speaking at the members' meeting held at the National Assembly on the 1st. Photo by Kim Hyunmin
The leadership and parliamentary members of the Joguk Innovation Party held a press conference at the National Assembly's Communication Center on this day, addressing the issue of personnel reform in the prosecution under alleged prosecutorial dictatorship, and disclosed part of the list of 'pro-Yoon (pro-Yoon Sukyeol faction) prosecutors.'
Jung Chunsaeng, Senior Deputy Floor Leader of the Innovation Party, said, "Many senior prosecutors who held key positions and conducted retaliatory targeted investigations and fabricated indictments while Yoon Sukyeol was serving as Prosecutor General and President are still remaining in high-ranking posts. Some of them even appear to be considered for important roles in the new government of popular sovereignty, which is deeply concerning."
Jung further criticized, "Jung Jinwoo, the current head of the Seoul Northern District Prosecutors' Office, who is reportedly being considered for the position of head of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, is a prosecutor with a background in public security and experience seconded to the National Intelligence Service. While serving as the first deputy chief prosecutor at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, he cleared Han Donghoon of charges in the so-called 'Channel A case,' and in the so-called 'Blue House planned investigation suspicion' case related to Kim Hakui, he investigated and indicted former prosecutor Lee Kyuwon and Democratic Party lawmaker Kim Yongmin."
He also pointed out, "Sung Sangheon, head of the Daejeon District Prosecutors' Office, who is widely rumored to be nominated as Director of the Prosecution Bureau, was the chief investigator in the 'Moon Jaein administration Ministry of Industry blacklist case,' and has continued to advance since Yoon Sukyeol's tenure as Prosecutor General."
He continued, "Appointing such figures sends a very negative signal to the prosecution, which is supposed to be the target of reform. I do not see how this is any different from continuing to employ high-ranking police officers who arrested independence fighters right after liberation, just because they were 'good at catching criminals.'"
He added, "Under the Yoon Sukyeol administration, prosecutors who indicted journalists on false charges of defaming Yoon Sukyeol, and those who targeted President Lee Jaemyung and his family in investigations, still hold high-ranking positions.""If such individuals are not purged and continue to occupy key posts, it is tantamount to saying that those who collaborated with the prosecutorial dictatorship regime, which even staged a rebellion, will not be held accountable for their crimes," he emphasized.
He went on to say, "The Lee Jaemyung administration must faithfully carry on the prosecutorial reform achievements of the Moon Jaein administration, but also overcome its limitations. To do so, political prosecutors who abused prosecutorial power must be held accountable."
On May 7, a launch ceremony for the Joguk Innovation Party's prosecution dismantling vanguard 'Joguk' was held in front of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office in Seocho-gu, Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News
The Innovation Party is urging the prosecutors named on the list to resign voluntarily. If they do not do so, the party plans to respond not only by filing complaints but also by calling on the Minister of Justice to exercise the newly acquired authority to request disciplinary action.
The Innovation Party also plans to deliver the so-called 'Yoon Geonhee regime' collaborator prosecutors list to the Presidential Office on this day. Lee Kyuwon, the party's strategy committee chair and a former prosecutor, stated, "The list was compiled with careful but firm criteria. It includes approximately 30 names. We hope the personnel authority will use it as a reference."
Shin Jangshik, a lawmaker from the Innovation Party, said, "Today, we plan to seal the list and deliver it to the Presidential Office as soon as possible. Although the personnel policy regarding prosecutorial reform has not yet been announced, there will soon be appointments in the prosecution, and we are speaking about the future."
The Innovation Party also announced plans to propose a bill this week to investigate abuses of prosecutorial power.
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