Special Prosecutor Requests Representative Ahn Cheolsoo to Appear as a Witness
"We Only Asked for Cooperation in Investigating Obstruction of the National Assembly Vote"
Ahn: "I Will Not Cooperate with Attempts to Label the Party as an Insurrectionist Organization"
The Special Prosecutor’s team investigating the insurrection and Representative Ahn Cheolsoo of the People Power Party engaged in a war of nerves over cooperation with a witness interview. When Representative Ahn objected, saying, "I have no intention of cooperating with attempts to label the party as an insurrectionist organization," the Special Prosecutor’s team responded, "Do not use the special prosecutor’s investigation for political purposes."
At a briefing on the 29th, Special Prosecutor Park Jiyoung stated, "We requested cooperation with a witness interview from Representative Ahn, who was the only (then) ruling party member to support the Special Prosecutor Act." She explained that they contacted Representative Ahn because an investigation was necessary into the circumstances surrounding the majority of People Power Party members’ absence from the vote on the motion to lift martial law.
She continued, "Special Prosecutor Park Eoksu sent a text message to Representative Ahn, and clearly requested a 'witness interview.' In the case of a witness interview, it is up to the individual to decide whether to respond to the summons. This is not compulsory, and if the individual deems it necessary, they can give a statement, but if not, we have no way to compel them."
According to the Special Prosecutor’s team, on the morning of the same day, Special Prosecutor Park Eoksu sent a text message to Representative Ahn, stating, "In accordance with the Special Prosecutor Act, attempts to obstruct the National Assembly vote during the period of martial law and related complaints are subject to investigation, and we are contacting you to request your cooperation with the relevant investigation."
Special Prosecutor Park stated, "We requested cooperation with a witness interview, and to portray this as a political investigation or as oppression of the opposition is unacceptable. No one would think that a text message requesting cooperation with a witness interview is an attempt to dissolve the People Power Party." She added, "Do not use the special prosecutor’s investigation for political purposes."
Representative Ahn criticized the Special Prosecutor’s team’s contact, saying, "They even sent such a message to me, who opposed martial law and supported impeachment. It is utterly absurd," and added, "This is an attempt to brand the entire People Power Party as an insurrectionist organization."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
