Joo Ho-young: "Yoon Seok-yeol Didn't Mention the 'ㄷ' Character in the Presidential Election... Support Stemming from Resentment"

"Pressure on Moon Administration and Democratic Party is Unfair"
Choo Mi-ae Exercises Investigation Control over 'Prosecutor-Reporter Collusion' Case on 2nd
Second Time Since 2005... Then Prosecutor General Offered Resignation

Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae is responding to questions from lawmakers at the plenary meeting of the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee on the afternoon of the 1st. / Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Lim Juhyung] Joo Ho-young, floor leader of the United Future Party, claimed that Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol recently ranking first among opposition candidates in a preference survey for the next presidential election is due to "unfair pressure from the government and ruling party."

On the afternoon of the 2nd, Joo appeared on CBS Radio's "Sisa Jaki Jung Gwanyong Imnida" and said, "Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol is currently in office and has not even mentioned the presidential election, but the public is raising his support as a presidential candidate out of encouragement," adding, "It must be really bad for this to happen."

Regarding Yoon ranking third overall and first among opposition figures in the next presidential candidate preference survey on the 26th of last month, he said, "This shows how unfair the pressure from Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae and the Democratic Party government is against Prosecutor General Yoon," and added, "I believe the support comes from a sense of justice or indignation."

He continued, "When Yoon was investigating deep-rooted corruption cases and the Park Geun-hye administration, how much praise did he receive as a proper Prosecutor General?" and claimed, "The public knows well that when he investigated the Ulsan mayoral election interference case, the Yoo Jae-soo inspection cover-up case, and the investigation of former Minister of Justice Cho Kuk according to the law, attempts were made to restrain and oust him."

When the host asked, "Isn't the Minister of Justice supposed to direct the Prosecutor General?" Joo countered, "If so, then the Central District Prosecutor who ignores the Prosecutor General's orders should be dealt with first," and said, "They are carrying out all-out violence to oust (Prosecutor General Yoon)."

Yoon Seok-yeol, Prosecutor General / Photo by Yonhap News

He added, "They are humiliating him to make him quit voluntarily, telling Democratic Party lawmaker Yoon Ho-jung, who chairs the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, and Democratic Party Supreme Council member Seol Hoon to step down, and I feel a flash of madness," emphasizing, "Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol must hold on."

On the same day, Minister Choo Mi-ae suddenly exercised her authority to direct the investigation of the Channel A reporter-prosecution 'media collusion' case, suspending the convening of the expert investigation advisory panel previously promoted by Prosecutor General Yoon and directing the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office investigation team to guarantee independence.

This is interpreted as an instruction for Prosecutor General Yoon to effectively step back from the investigation command line regarding this case.

The exercise of the Minister of Justice's authority to direct investigations is the second time in constitutional history since former Minister of Justice Cheon Jeong-bae in October 2005.

Former Minister Cheon directed then-Prosecutor General Kim Jong-bin to prosecute former Dongguk University professor Kang Jeong-gu, who was under investigation for violating the National Security Law, without detention. At that time, Prosecutor General Kim expressed his intention to resign, saying, "The exercise of the authority to direct investigations may undermine the political neutrality of the prosecution," while complying with Minister Cheon's order.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Prosecutors' Office plans to hold a nationwide prosecutors' meeting on the 3rd to discuss whether to accept Minister Choo's directive. The expert investigation advisory panel meeting originally scheduled for that day will not be held.

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