‘Handonghun Inspection Order’ · ‘Yoon Seok-yeol Prosecutor General Sniping’ … Choo Mi-ae's Multi-layered Strategy

Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol Seems to Counter by Convening Special Investigation Advisory Panel
Appears to Judge Yoon's Implementation of 'Han Myeong-sook Case Inspection Order' as Insufficient

Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae and Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Seok-jin] Justice Minister Chu Mi-ae's order to investigate the 'collusion between prosecutors and media' and her public criticism of the Prosecutor General are interpreted as moves with various strategic implications.

On the surface, it can be seen as putting pressure on Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl to provide momentum for the investigation into the collusion between prosecutors and media, while simultaneously hinting at additional measures regarding the case of former Prime Minister Han Myeong-sook.

The power struggle between the Ministry of Justice and the prosecution is expected to be greatly influenced by how Prosecutor General Yoon responds and which side the investigations related to the current administration will favor.

◆An 'unprecedented' order for investigation during an ongoing probe = On the 26th, those around the prosecution reacted that it was very unusual for Minister Chu to directly order an investigation by the Ministry of Justice while transferring Prosecutor Han Dong-hoon, a close aide of Prosecutor General Yoon and under investigation for collusion between prosecutors and media.

Typically, investigations are suspended once a probe begins, but in this case, the frontline prosecution office was ordered to conduct an investigation 'in reverse' on an ongoing matter.

Investigations conducted on the premise of disciplinary action are inevitably weaker in terms of intensity and aftereffects compared to criminal investigations based on criminal punishment.

Nonetheless, Minister Chu's order for an investigation appears to be the result of a judgment that there is significant distrust in the current prosecution investigation and that it needs to be shaken up considerably.

In particular, it can also be seen as a countermeasure against Prosecutor General Yoon's decision to convene a professional investigation advisory panel, which differed from the frontline investigation team's plan for a forced investigation of Prosecutor Han and others.

A Ministry of Justice official said, "There is no legal problem with investigations and inspections proceeding simultaneously as their requirements and intended outcomes differ."

Once the Ministry of Justice begins an investigation separate from the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office's probe under Minister Chu's order, a fact-finding investigation is expected to proceed on whether Prosecutor Han and Channel A reporter Lee shared information related to the SillaJen investigation, and whether they conspired to pressure former Value Invest Korea (VIK) CEO Lee Cheol, who is currently imprisoned, to obtain reports of misconduct involving ruling party figures.

If these facts are concretely confirmed during the investigation and some misconduct by Prosecutor Han is verified, the investigation team may gain grounds for prosecution.

Also, the professional investigation advisory panel convened by Prosecutor General Yoon, consisting of prosecutors and legal experts, is tasked with debating whether the case constitutes an 'attempted coercion.' Minister Chu's order may act as a burden in deciding a 'no charge' conclusion.

◆Likely judged that Prosecutor General's compliance with Han Myeong-sook investigation is 'insufficient' = On the previous day, Minister Chu, who ordered the Ministry of Justice investigation into Prosecutor Han, also expressed dissatisfaction with Prosecutor General Yoon regarding the complaint case related to former Prime Minister Han Myeong-sook at a Democratic Party of Korea freshman lawmakers' innovation forum she attended in the afternoon.

This appears to be because, although Prosecutor General Yoon reflected Minister Chu's order and arranged for the Supreme Prosecutors' Office's Inspection Department to directly investigate key witnesses, she still judged that the 'order compliance is insufficient.'

A Ministry of Justice official said, "Minister Chu's position is that assigning the case to the Supreme Prosecutors' Office Human Rights Department from the start was wrong," adding, "Even after Minister Chu's re-instruction, Prosecutor General Yoon's order that made it seem like the Human Rights Department was the main investigative body, and the friction with Inspection Department Chief Han Dong-soo, among other situations, collectively influenced her remarks."

Therefore, if problems arise in the ongoing investigations conducted simultaneously by the Supreme Prosecutors' Office Inspection Department and the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office Human Rights Supervisory Office, or if the investigation results are insufficient, it is anticipated that Minister Chu may take further extraordinary measures.

Meanwhile, despite Democratic Party leader Lee Hae-chan's 'gag order' to refrain from comments regarding Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl's position, voices within the ruling party continue to pressure Yoon to resign.

The final prosecution results reflecting the deliberation opinions of the Prosecution Investigation Deliberation Committee on cases including Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong, held on this day, and the ongoing investigation into Lime Asset Management at the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors' Office are expected to impact Prosecutor General Yoon's increasingly cornered position.

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