Political Outcry Over Prosecution’s Decision
The People Power Party has strongly criticized the prosecution’s decision to abandon the appeal in the Daejang-dong development corruption case. The party is demanding a thorough investigation into whether there were directives from higher authorities, including the presidential office. Additionally, they have raised the possibility of impeaching Justice Minister Jung Sung-ho.
The party has publicly called for a national investigation and urgent parliamentary questioning to clarify the process behind the decision to abandon the appeal. Jang Dong-hyeok, the leader of the People Power Party, expressed his concerns on Facebook, stating that what should have been abandoned was not the appeal but the minister’s authority to direct investigations. He emphasized that the justice minister should have relinquished his authority in a case where the president was indicted as a co-conspirator.
Song Eon-seog, the floor leader of the party, highlighted the collapse of the South Korean judicial system for the sake of a single criminal. He questioned who exerted external pressure on the prosecution to abandon the appeal and proposed that the Democratic Party of Korea conduct a national investigation to reveal the full truth of the Daejang-dong corruption.
Calls for Parliamentary Action
Lawmakers on the National Assembly’s Legislation and Judiciary Committee held a press conference, urging Choo Mi-ae, the chairperson of the committee, to immediately convene an urgent parliamentary questioning session. They emphasized the need to determine who, why, and under whose instructions blocked the appeal, and whether the presidential office was involved.
They further stated that Minister Jung must fully disclose any directives or reports to or from the presidential office and immediately resign for obstructing efforts to restore public harm. Park Jeong-hoon, a lawmaker, suggested that an impeachment motion should be filed against Minister Jung and all related individuals.
Former Leaders’ Criticisms
Han Dong-hoon, a former leader of the People Power Party and ex-justice minister, criticized the South Korean prosecution, stating that it had committed suicide and become a “dog of power.” He argued that all individuals from the presidential office, the Ministry of Justice, the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office, and the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office who issued the illegal order to abandon the appeal for the sake of one person, President Lee Jae-myung, should face legal consequences.
Reform Party’s Response
The Reform Party also criticized the decision to abandon the Daejang-dong appeal, calling it a coerced move that surrendered to pressure from power. Lee Jun-seok, the Reform Party leader, stated that the Daejang-dong case is connected to the president. He remarked that justice flows like a river, but in President Lee Jae-myung’s administration, injustice flows like sewage.
Lee Jun-seok added that President Lee recently asked, “Is the prosecution’s customary practice of unconditionally appealing reasonable?” and noted that the prosecution abandoned the appeal this time. He questioned whether all these decisions are unrelated to the president’s will.