Cho Eungcheon: "Minister Choo Mi-ae's Words and Actions Toward Yoon Seokyeol Leave Me Speechless"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy, Reporter Lim Chunhan] On June 28, Democratic Party lawmaker Cho Eungcheon criticized Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae, stating, "Minister Choo's recent series of words and actions toward Prosecutor General Yoon Seokyeol is a scene so unfamiliar that, in my nearly thirty years around the legal profession, I have never experienced anything like it. It is so bewildering that I am at a loss for words."

On this day, Cho posted a lengthy message on Facebook titled "To Minister Choo Mi-ae," saying, "Even for the sake of prosecutorial reform and the launch of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO), Minister Choo needs to adopt a more humble attitude," expressing his views as above.

Cho noted, "Before Minister Choo took office, 66 Ministers of Justice refrained from exercising their authority to direct, and recommended prosecutors for appointments after listening to the Prosecutor General's opinion. Of course, during the authoritarian era, political behavior was very different from now, and even after that, there were many cases of symbiosis and abuse between the Ministry of Justice and the prosecution," adding, "Former ministers also refrained from words and actions due to considerations of legal regulations and the political neutrality of the prosecution."

Cho pointed out, "The more Minister Choo emphasizes the necessity of prosecutorial reform and the prompt launch of the CIO through harsh rhetoric, the more the debate may focus on the appropriateness of her words and actions."

Referring to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, Cho remarked, "I cannot help but question whether it is appropriate for Minister Choo to be in the spotlight by harshly criticizing the Prosecutor General day after day at this particular time."

Cho added, "Regardless of her original intentions or convictions, if she continues with harsh words and actions, it could become a burden not only for the government and the ruling party but also for the person who appointed her," and requested, "I hope she will take a moment to pause and reflect."

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