Jo Hae-jin: "7 Years Ago, Cho Kuk Responded to Yoon Seok-yeol... Objection to Illegal Orders Is a Duty"

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

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Kim Bong-ju] Jo Hae-jin, a member of the Future United Party, targeted Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol, who has been agonizing for several days over Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae's exercise of investigative command authority, saying, "Former Minister of Justice Cho Kuk already gave the answer (7 years ago)."

On the 8th, Jo appeared on MBC Radio's 'Kim Jong-bae's Focus' and said, "When a superior's order is illegal or unjust, objecting to it is not insubordination but a natural duty as a public official."

Previously, former Minister Cho also stated on his Twitter in 2013, "Not following a superior's illegal or unjust act is not insubordination but a duty."

On the 2nd, Minister Choo ordered Prosecutor General Yoon to halt the review process of the investigative advisory group and grant independent authority to the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office investigation team regarding the 'alleged collusion between prosecutors and media' case.

Prosecutor General Yoon convened meetings of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office chiefs and nationwide prosecutors consecutively and listened to opinions inside and outside the prosecution but has not made any official remarks for six days.

Minister Choo also issued a separate statement that day, urging, "I will wait one more day until 10 a.m. on the 9th. I await the wise judgment of the Prosecutor General."

Regarding Minister Choo's pressure on Prosecutor General Yoon, Jo said, "If Yoon's prosecution continues to investigate and dig deeper, the regime will be shaken, and a lame-duck presidency will occur during the remaining two years. Because of this sense of crisis, the investigation must be stopped at all costs. To do so, they must either oust Prosecutor General Yoon or reduce him to a figurehead."

He continued, "Minister Choo keeps issuing orders to reduce or exclude Prosecutor General Yoon's duties through investigative command. If he accepts this, the investigation becomes difficult; if he does not, it will be considered insubordination. Knowing this tactic well, Prosecutor General Yoon is trying not to get entangled with Minister Choo."

However, Kim Jong-min, a member of the Democratic Party who appeared together, countered, "This is not a matter of legal interpretation but a problem anyone who knows Hangul can agree on. There is no reason to hesitate if following laws and regulations. (Prosecutor General Yoon) seems to want to change this somehow."

Kim said, "(Prosecutor General Yoon) is misunderstood as trying to create public opinion, but this becomes political. He says he consults prosecution elders, but since this is not a complicated issue, if he is curious or does not know something, he should ask the minister."

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