In response to the uproar within the prosecution regarding the decision not to appeal the first trial of the Daejang-dong development corruption case, the Democratic Party of Korea has proposed a national investigation, hearings, and a permanent special prosecutor. The party is defining the internal resistance from the prosecution as insubordination and misconduct, and instead aims to re-examine the overall investigation into both the Daejang-dong and North Korea remittance cases. The Democratic Party perceives that the prosecutors’ longstanding dissatisfaction, since the proposal to abolish the Prosecution Office, has burst forth with the Daejang-dong incident, and is adopting an even more assertive stance.
Seo Young-kyo, a Democratic Party member of the National Assembly’s Legislation and Judiciary Committee, mentioned in a KBS radio interview on the 11th regarding the national investigation, “As the transition of the investigation under the Yoon Suk-yeol administration occurred, we plan to thoroughly scrutinize all processes, including potential manipulation of the investigation, indictment, and maintenance of charges through the Legislation and Judiciary Committee or hearings.” She further stated, “Since the People Power Party also requested this, we can review it together.”
In relation to suspicions that higher-ups may have given orders or exerted external pressure to abandon the Daejang-dong appeal, the Democratic Party dismisses these claims, stating that there is currently no evidence of specific orders or pressure.
The Democratic Party is rather determined to “thoroughly crush the resistance of political prosecutors this time.” Kim Byung-gi, the floor leader of the Democratic Party, criticized at a top-level meeting on the previous day (10th), saying, “The insubordination of pro-Yoon political prosecutors is truly disgraceful” and described it as “a challenge to the people and democracy by a handful of political prosecutors.” On the same day, Representative Jung Cheong-rae reportedly directed the undisclosed meeting of top officials to “actively pursue all available means such as national investigations, hearings, and a permanent special prosecutor.”
A party official remarked, “This foolish behavior by front-line prosecutors seems to be an attempt to derail prosecutorial reform during this opportunity,” describing the prosecutors’ actions as a last-ditch struggle. Another party insider added, “It’s hard not to perceive the prosecution’s standards as inconsistent,” and noted, “The issuing of statements not just by the investigation team but even by chief prosecutors feels reminiscent of the déjà vu experienced during the Roh Moo-hyun administration.” Reporter Joo So-hyun