Hwang Hee-seok: "Yoon Seok-yeol's prosecution politically indicted Choi Kang-wook"

"Petty to the extreme... baseless prosecution"
Choi Kang-wook criticizes the prosecution, saying "'Constitutionalist' ignores the constitution"

Hwang Hee-seok, Supreme Council Member of the Open Democratic Party (center) / Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Juhyung] Hwang Heeseok, Supreme Council Member of the Open Democratic Party, claimed that the prosecution's non-detention indictment of the party leader Choi Kangwook on charges of violating the Public Official Election Act is a "political prosecution by the Yoon Seok-yeol administration's prosecution."

On the 15th, Hwang wrote on his Facebook, "(What could (Leader Choi) have done to violate the election law? He is currently contesting the trial where he was indicted for forging an internship certificate, claiming innocence, and since there is no fact of forgery, he argued that he said so during the election process, but they indicted him for spreading false information under the election law," adding, "It's utterly petty."

He continued, "There is nothing to worry about. The internship certificate case is absurd, and this election law indictment based on it is also baseless," adding, "By the way, it feels like the prosecution is nurturing Leader Choi Kangwook as a presidential candidate."

Meanwhile, the Public Investigation Division 2 of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office (Chief Prosecutor Kwon Sangdae) indicted Leader Choi on the same day without detention on charges of spreading false information under the Public Official Election Act. Elected officials lose their seats if they are sentenced to a fine of 1 million won or more by the court for violating the election law.

Choi Kang-wook, Leader of the Open Democratic Party / Photo by Yonhap News

Earlier, Leader Choi was indicted in January on charges of falsely issuing an internship certificate to Cho Mo (24), the son of former Minister of Justice Cho Kuk, while working as a lawyer at the law firm Cheongmaek in 2017. Regarding this charge, Leader Choi appeared on YouTube broadcasts during the 21st general election period and claimed, "It is not true."

Meanwhile, on the 16th, Leader Choi criticized the prosecution that indicted him in a Facebook post, saying, "I was speechless and laughed bitterly because it was absurd," and added, "Stop hiding behind the curtain set up by the media while wearing an ill-fitting uniform and engaging in political games. I hope you reveal your true identity and fight fairly now."

He also said, "The one who claimed to be a 'constitutionalist' is ignoring the constitution and laws," and questioned, "I believe at least you remember what you said. What did you say it is when a prosecutor uses investigative authority for retaliation instead of being a prosecutor?"

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