Choo Mi-ae: "If the Supreme Prosecutors' Office submits an opinion to the Investigation Deliberation Committee on the collusion between prosecutors and media, it violates orders"... "An issue warranting accountability"

Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae is attending the government questioning session on politics, diplomacy, unification, and security at the National Assembly plenary session on the 22nd, responding to questions from lawmakers. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Seok-jin] On the 24th, Minister of Justice Chu Mi-ae stated that if the Criminal Affairs Department of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office submits an opinion letter regarding the 'prosecutor-media collusion' case to the Prosecution Investigation Deliberation Committee, it would be a violation of her investigative command and a matter for which responsibility should be held.

During the government questioning session at the National Assembly that day, in response to a question from Ahn Ho-young, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, asking, "The Minister has restricted the Prosecutor General's investigative command in this case; is it appropriate for the Criminal Affairs Department of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office to submit such an opinion letter?" Minister Chu replied, "If that happens, it is a matter for which separate responsibility must be held," adding, "If such a document is issued, it would be a violation of instructions under Article 8 of the Prosecution Service Act."

Minister Chu stated, "To guarantee the independence and neutrality of the investigation, I directed the Prosecutor General to step away from this investigation," and added, "Since the head of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office is the Prosecutor General, even if a document is drafted and prepared by a section chief of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, the final approver is the Prosecutor General, so under no circumstances can an opinion letter be released externally."

The Supreme Prosecutors' Office planned to submit a separate opinion letter to the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office investigation team on the same day, based on relevant guidelines and with the approval of the current affairs committee.

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