Ahn Cheol-soo: "Prosecutors should indict Lee Jae-yong... If there is wrongdoing, punishment is necessary"

"Freedom at the Level of the US, Responsibility Ignored... Not a Free Market Economy"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Chun-han] Ahn Cheol-soo, leader of the People’s Party, stated on the 29th regarding the Prosecutor’s Office indictment review committee’s recommendation to suspend investigation and not indict Samsung Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong, “If the prosecution trusts the investigation process and the credibility of the investigation records spanning 200,000 pages, they should boldly indict Vice Chairman Lee.”

At the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly that day, Ahn said, “The people want a confident and just prosecution that does not bow to political power or economic power.”

Ahn emphasized, “Many citizens express concern about what would happen if even Samsung wavers amid the difficult economic situation caused by COVID-19, but the global company Samsung will not be shaken just because its head is detained or not,” adding, “I believe that Samsung, the world’s top company, is not such a simple organization.”

He pointed out, “The law applied to Jean Valjean and the law applied to Vice Chairman Lee should not be different. This is the foundation of a liberal democratic rule-of-law state, and even if it has not been properly upheld until now, it is a goal that must not be abandoned. The moment we give up on this, checks on unfairness become impossible, and those with money and power will run wild like a car without brakes.”

He continued, “Look at the United States, the model of a free market economy. Enron, which committed accounting fraud, was dismantled, and some companies responsible for the financial crisis disappeared into history,” adding, “They hold freedom and responsibility more strictly than any other country. ‘Freedom at the level of the U.S., but shirking responsibility’ is not a free market economy.”

Ahn addressed the judiciary, saying, “If there is wrongdoing, punish even the great Vice Chairman Lee firmly, and if there is no guilt, even if many criticize Samsung, please acquit him,” and added, “Show through your ruling that no matter how expensive a lawyer is hired, if there is guilt, punishment follows, and if there is no guilt, one can confidently walk out of the court. That is the image of a fair and just society and the path South Korea must take.”

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