Public Opinion on Forced Investigation of Shincheonji, Pressure on Choo... Yoon Seok-yeol Cornered

Plan to File Additional Complaint by Victims' Solidarity over Choo Mi-ae Search Guidelines
Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters Also Pressures Ministry of Health and Welfare
Boiling Blue House National Petition
Prosecutors Interested in Public Response

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporters Lee Gwan-ju, Kim Hyung-min, Song Seung-yoon] As public pressure mounts for the prosecution to conduct a forced investigation into Shincheonji Church of Jesus (Shincheonji), the prosecution’s stance emphasizing a "cautious investigation for quarantine purposes" is becoming increasingly difficult. Justice Minister Chu Mi-ae’s directive for a "Shincheonji search and seizure" continues, and the Shincheonji Victims Solidarity has added plans for additional accusations. A petition for the dismissal of Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol, who has not initiated an investigation, has even emerged, while the police, who have been at odds with the prosecution, are accelerating their own investigation. Only the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, the "control tower" handling the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), supports the prosecution’s cautious approach, but if pressure from the higher authority, the Ministry of Health and Welfare, intensifies, even the Central Disaster Headquarters may abandon the prosecution’s side.

The National Shincheonji Victims Solidarity, which had reported Shincheonji Chairman Lee Man-hee (89) to the prosecution, held a press conference in front of the Blue House on the morning of the 5th, raising six suspicions including embezzlement of surgery fees and slush fund creation, and urged a forced investigation into Chairman Lee. The Solidarity stated, "With this level of evidence, even an ordinary case would clearly prove the grounds for a search and seizure related to the crime," and pressured the prosecution, which has been hesitant about search and seizure, saying, "If the prosecution hesitates to conduct a search and seizure, it will be difficult to avoid criticism that there is something politically motivated."

The Blue House’s national petition board is also boiling over. This is due to a petition demanding the dismissal of Prosecutor General Yoon, who is known to have instructed a cautious response to the Shincheonji search and seizure. As of 10:30 a.m. that day, 67,326 citizens had agreed. They are angry, stating that there is clear evidence that Shincheonji obstructed quarantine efforts and promoted the spread by deliberately omitting some members from the list and submitting false data, and that responsibility must be held.

The Ministry of Justice, backed by public opinion, is pressuring the prosecution to "actively conduct forced investigations." Minister Chu appeared before the National Assembly’s Legislation and Judiciary Committee on the 4th and said, "More than 86% of the public demands a search and seizure," urging the prosecution to conduct one. This is based on a result announced on the 28th of last month by polling agency Realmeter, which surveyed 501 adults nationwide aged 18 and over. The police are also moving in the same direction as the Ministry of Justice. So far, the police, centered on the "COVID-19 Rapid Response Team," have identified the whereabouts of about 6,000 Shincheonji members who had lost contact. They are now focusing their investigative efforts on suspicions of omitted names from Shincheonji’s list and refusal of forced measures by quarantine authorities.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Image source=Yonhap News]

These voices are acting as pressure on the "inactive" prosecution. The level of pressure is expected to increase over time, but at present, it is difficult to predict that the prosecution will immediately change its investigative stance in response. As of the 4th, local prosecution offices are investigating 113 COVID-19 related cases, including the case where Seoul city and civic groups reported Chairman Lee to the prosecution, but they are not actively pursuing the Shincheonji search and seizure. This appears to strongly reflect Prosecutor General Yoon’s intention to emphasize a "cautious investigation that can help quarantine."

Within the prosecution, there are concerns that a premature search and seizure could cause Shincheonji members to stop cooperating with quarantine efforts, leading to hesitation in conducting the search and seizure. The prosecution has also explained that there was a request from quarantine authorities to refrain from forced investigations such as search and seizure. Kim Kang-rip, the first chief coordinator of the Central Disaster Headquarters, said at a regular briefing on the 2nd, "If Shincheonji members hide or refuse to disclose information due to coercive measures, it could have adverse effects on quarantine, so we are keeping that in mind." However, after it was revealed that the Central Disaster Headquarters sent a cooperation letter to the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office seemingly urging the prosecution to investigate, there is speculation that the prosecution is under pressure from higher authorities such as the Ministry of Health and Welfare or the Blue House.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Meanwhile, the Daegu District Prosecutors’ Office rejected the search warrant requested twice by the Daegu Metropolitan Police Agency to search the Shincheonji Daegu Church. The reason was that it was unclear whether the incorrect member list submitted by Shincheonji was intentional or accidental. The police plan to apply for the warrant again after supplementary investigation, which could further intensify the conflict between the prosecution and police.

However, some in the legal community analyze that "the opportunity for search and seizure has already been missed." They predict that there will be no practical benefit from the search and seizure. Since the fact that the investigation authorities considered a search and seizure of Shincheonji was exposed externally, it is believed that Shincheonji had enough time to destroy evidence.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.