"Karma Comes for Yoon Sukyeol Over Political Parties Act Investigation"
Comparison Drawn with Park Geunhye Probe
Former Daegu Mayor Hong Joonpyo commented on the special prosecutor's investigation into suspicions of intervention by former President Yoon Sukyeol and First Lady Kim Keonhee in the nomination process for the 2022 parliamentary by-election, stating, "Karma is unavoidable."
Former Daegu Mayor Hong Junpyo, who left the People Power Party after losing the presidential primary in April and stayed in Hawaii, USA, returning to Korea. Photo by Yonhap News
On the 27th, through his social networking service (SNS) account, Hong said, "Watching the special prosecutor investigate former President Yoon's involvement in nominations as a violation of the Political Parties Act reminds me of Yoon Sukyeol and Han Donghoon's investigation into Park Geunhye's alleged abuse of power, which was also based on violations of the Political Parties Act."
He continued, "At the time, I couldn't help but feel bitter seeing the investigation define the political custom of a president intervening in nominations through the party secretary general as a crime, and trying to shake out even the smallest specks of dust so that the person could never return. Now, seeing the special prosecutor conduct a 'dust-shaking' investigation against former President Yoon in the same way as Yoon Sukyeol and Han Donghoon did, it reminds me once again that karma is truly unavoidable."
He also mentioned, "This morning, I am reminded of Yeouido Institute Director Yoon Heesook's proposal that if one becomes president, they should leave the party and run the government in a neutral, nonpartisan manner," thereby once again highlighting the issue of presidential intervention in party affairs.
The Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office indicted former President Park Geunhye in 2018 on charges of violating the Political Parties Act and the Public Official Election Act. At that time, the investigation was led by then-chief of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, Yoon Sukyeol. Prosecutors determined that former President Park directly influenced the nomination process ahead of the 20th general election in 2016 to ensure the election of pro-Park figures within the ruling party.
In that case, the court ruled that even if the president did not directly intervene in nominations, exerting influence over the formation of the nomination committee was sufficient to be found guilty. As a result, former President Park was sentenced to three years in prison, and after withdrawing her appeal to the Supreme Court on November 28, 2018, the sentence was finalized at two years in prison.
Min Junggi, the special prosecutor investigating the Yoon Sukyeol couple's alleged intervention in nominations, is reportedly reviewing whether to summon Kim Keonhee. In political circles, there is speculation that this investigation could unfold in a manner similar to the case involving former President Park.
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