The ruling and opposition parties clashed over the special prosecutor issue after reports emerged that Yoon Young-ho, former head of the Unification Church’s World Headquarters, told Special Prosecutor Min Jung-ki’s team that he had delivered tens of millions of won in cash and valuables to two senior lawmakers from the Democratic Party of Korea.
On December 6, the People Power Party criticized the special prosecutor’s investigation as biased, pointing out that while Min Jung-ki’s team indicted its own lawmaker Kweon Seong-dong in October for allegedly receiving 100 million won in illegal political funds from the Unification Church, reports of Democratic Party figures being implicated were now surfacing. In contrast, the Democratic Party argued that the two cases were fundamentally different in nature.
Song Eon-seok, Floor Leader of the People Power Party, commented on Facebook regarding the former headquarters chief’s testimony, stating, “Special Prosecutor Min Jung-ki knew about these serious criminal allegations but chose to cover them up. While the special prosecutor conducted indiscriminate raids against the opposition day and night, there is not even a hint of willingness to investigate the Democratic Party.”
He went on to say, “It has become clear that Min Jung-ki’s investigation into the Unification Church was a biased act of retaliation targeting former Floor Leader Kweon Seong-dong and the People Power Party. Political retaliation and suppression against the opposition must stop immediately.”
Han Dong-hoon, former chairman of the People Power Party, also wrote on Facebook, “If the reports are true, calling Min Jung-ki a political special prosecutor would be too generous-he is nothing more than a subcontractor for the Democratic Party. Is it acceptable for the Democratic Party to receive money from the Unification Church?”
In response, Baek Seung-ah, Floor Spokesperson for the Democratic Party, stated in a written briefing, “(The donations to the Democratic Party) were not the result of any illegal, organized mobilization like those involving the People Power Party, which is why they were not subject to investigation. This is a judgment based on law and evidence, not political considerations or a biased investigation.”
She added, “The People Power Party is trying to evade responsibility by framing the issue as ‘selective investigation’ and a ‘political special prosecutor.’ The public has already rendered a cold judgment on their attitude of remaining silent about their own wrongdoing while raising their voices against the special prosecutor.”
She further criticized, “By continuing to attack without any apology or sense of responsibility, the People Power Party is only proving why it is criticized as a ‘party of rebellion.’ The minimum they should do is to first acknowledge their wrongdoing and apologize to the public.”
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