[2025 Audit] Lee Seongkwon: "President Lee's Order to Dispatch Baek Haeryong Violates the Public Prosecutors' Office Act"

"If the Joint Investigation Team Is Illegal, the President Is the Ringleader"

Lee Seongkwon, a member of the People Power Party, criticized on the 17th, "President Lee Jaemyung's direct order to dispatch Chief Inspector Baek Haeryong constitutes a violation of the Public Prosecutors' Office Act."

Chief Inspector Baek Haeryong is answering questions from reporters as he arrives for his first day at the Eastern District Prosecutors' Office in Songpa-gu, Seoul on the 16th. Photo by Yonhap News

During the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee audit that day, Assemblyman Lee stated, "Neither the president nor ministers are allowed to directly order or command investigations to front-line prosecutors or district chief prosecutors."

Assemblyman Lee pointed out, "Chief Inspector Baek has repeatedly claimed to be a victim," and added, "According to the National Police Agency's Criminal Investigation Rules, if a police officer is a victim, he or she is excluded from performing official duties related to the case."

He continued, "If he becomes involved in the investigation, the fairness, transparency, and objectivity of the investigative process will be compromised. This inevitably leads to bias, and when the final results are released, it will cause public distrust."

Assemblyman Lee further stated, "Chief Inspector Baek claims that the joint investigation team is an illegal organization. If that is the case, then the president becomes the ringleader, and Im Eunjung, the chief prosecutor of the Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors' Office, becomes the accomplice."

Yoo Jaeseong, acting commissioner of the National Police Agency, commented, "We are closely monitoring Chief Inspector Baek's actions. The dispatch was made at the request of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, and I believe the Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors' Office will operate in accordance with the law and proper procedures."