(Seoul=News1) Kim Kyung-min and Lim Se-won report that the impeachment hearing for Kang Baek-sin, Deputy Chief Prosecutor of Seongnam Branch of Suwon District Prosecutors’ Office, and Eom Hee-jun, Director of Bucheon Branch of Incheon District Prosecutors’ Office, who investigated Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party, in relation to the Daejang-dong and Baekhyeon-dong cases, will be held on December 11.
On the 27th, the National Assembly’s Legislation and Judiciary Committee held a full meeting in which the impeachment proposal against prosecutors Kang and Eom was raised and the investigation plan for the impeachment case was adopted, led by the opposition parties.
Previously, on July 2, the opposition parties, including the Democratic Party, passed an impeachment proposal against prosecutors Kang and Eom in a National Assembly plenary session on charges of disclosing investigation secrets and leaking confidential information. Prosecutors Kang and Eom were involved in prosecuting Lee in the Daejang-dong and Baekhyeon-dong cases.
Kim Seung-won, a Democratic Party member and opposition party secretary, argued, “Prosecutor Kang is known as synonymous with media repression, repeatedly making public the facts of investigations, which can be seen as serious misconduct and illegal activity.” He continued, “Prosecutor Eom illegally coerced inmates to commit perjury in court against former Prime Minister Han Myeong-sook, leading to the popularization of the term ‘Sam-in-seong-ho’ (a lie told by three people becomes true).”
The ruling People Power Party strongly opposed. Yoo Sang-beom, a People Power Party secretary, pointed out, “Aside from media reports, there is no individual basis for the impeachment proposal,” and emphasized the need for more consideration.
Song Suk-jun of the same party remarked, “(Previously) in hearings for Prosecutors Kim Young-chul and Park Sang-yong, it was sufficiently examined but ultimately revealed that the reasons for impeachment were baseless,” criticizing that it could simply become a hearing to disgrace the prosecutors.
Representative Gwak Gyu-taek stated, “Prosecutors Kang and Eom investigated various cases, including Lee Jae-myung’s Daejang-dong case,” adding, “Isn’t this impeachment just because they resent that Lee was investigated?”
He further stressed, “With Lee’s trial ongoing, pursuing impeachment of the investigators could lead to undue interference in the trial,” recommending that the impeachment investigation be postponed until the conclusion of Lee’s first trial.
Despite the People Power Party’s opposition, the decision was carried with 11 votes in favor and 5 against out of 16 members.