Lee Junseok: "Is Lee Trying to Become a 'Blue Yoon Sukyeol'?... Acting Prosecutor General Must Resign Immediately"

Lee Junseok, leader of the Reform New Party, criticized the Lee Jaemyung administration on November 10 regarding the prosecution's decision to forgo appealing the Daejang-dong development corruption case, stating, "In the end, I think they are trying to become a 'blue Yoon Sukyeol.'

Reform New Party leader Lee Junseok is speaking at the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on the 3rd. Photo by Yonhap News

At the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly that morning, Lee said, "The Lee Jaemyung administration is currently pushing forward with its political agenda under the banner of correcting the various wrongdoings of the Yoon Sukyeol administration." He continued, "However, if, like former President Yoon persecuted Colonel Park Junghoon, the administration blocks front-line prosecutors from filing appeals in order to reduce its own legal risks, then the Lee Jaemyung administration will inevitably face the same fate."

Regarding the Democratic Party's defense of the prosecution's decision as 'refraining from appealing' rather than 'abandoning the appeal,' Lee countered, "The structure is such that the Minister of Justice and the President inevitably have explicit influence over the prosecution," adding, "If that's the case, then this restraint is not voluntary but rather the result of being told to refrain."

Lee went on to say, "It's essentially coercion to refrain," and added, "This kind of wordplay-constantly trying to manipulate language-was also seen during the Moon Jaein administration, where they would try to cover things up, such as manipulating statistics, by changing their words. I think this is a similar situation."

Regarding Acting Prosecutor General Noh Manseok, Lee said, "If he tries to hold on to his position after such disgraceful conduct, it is truly disappointing," stressing, "He should resign immediately today."

He continued, "Even when I criticized former President Yoon, Prosecutor Yoon Sukyeol at least had the guts to declare to Minister Choo Mi-ae, 'The Prosecutor General is not subordinate to the Minister of Justice.' How can an acting Prosecutor General who cannot even say that be acceptable?"