Ahn Cheol-soo: "Chu Mi-ae and Lee Sung-yoon, Step Away from Lime and Optimus Investigations"

"Reinvestigation by Special Prosecutor Unavoidable"
"Yoon Seok-yeol Must Risk Prosecution and His Fate to Investigate"
"People Power Party Must Also Clarify Facts Before the Public"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Chun-han] Ahn Cheol-soo, leader of the People’s Party, stated on the 19th regarding the investigation into the Lime and Optimus cases, “The conscientious forces and rational reform forces of this land must join hands in anger and unite their strength to punish power-related corruption,” and added, “Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae and Seoul Central District Prosecutor Lee Seong-yoon should step down from the investigation.”

In a statement released that day, Ahn said, “It is difficult to uncover the truth under the current investigation system. Under the Ministry of Justice Minister who tells countless lies without batting an eye and the Central District Prosecutor General who blindly follows the regime, as seen in the Eastern District Prosecutor’s Office investigation, a fair investigation is unlikely, and an investigation into the behind-the-scenes forces including the core of power will be even more difficult,” explaining, “This is why a reinvestigation by a special prosecutor is inevitable.”

Ahn stated, “The most urgent matter now is to completely exclude Minister Choo and the Central District Prosecutor General from the investigation and reporting for a fair investigation. At this opportunity, it is appropriate to dismiss Minister Choo, who lied to the public,” and added, “As for the current Central District Prosecutor General, who is suspected of colluding with the regime and obstructing the investigation, how about swapping positions with Prosecutor Han Dong-hoon, who has been wandering like a satellite in Yongin and Jincheon for speaking out? This would be the attitude showing that this regime confidently asserts its innocence and demonstrates its will for an unreserved and thorough investigation.”

Ahn emphasized, “Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl, who ordered a thorough investigation, must conduct it strictly, staking the fate of the prosecution and himself,” and added, “If Prosecutor General Yoon also finds himself powerless due to interference from power, he should point out the inevitability of a special prosecutor investigation.” He continued, “Not only the responsible parties of the investigation but also the principles and direction of the investigation are important. If politicians from both ruling and opposition parties are involved, they must be thoroughly investigated regardless of their status,” and said, “No one should be forgiven, not even one person, if they are fraudsters who caused the public to shed tears of blood, public officials, politicians, or other parasites of this regime involved in this.”

Ahn pointed out, “President Moon Jae-in’s instruction to the Blue House to cooperate with the investigation was a belated but good decision,” but also noted, “The President should take a step further and disclose and take additional measures to the public.” He said, “First, the full truth must be revealed about how a fraudulent lawyer, one of the key figures in this case, was appointed as an administrative officer in the Office of Civil Affairs, and how the problematic administrative officer became a Democratic Party’s party affairs auditor during the President’s tenure as the Democratic Party leader, including the process and background,” adding, “If the administrative officer was not directly appointed by the President because of the rank, there must have been a recommender, and the party affairs auditor must also have had a recommender. These people must be identified first.”

Ahn said, “What the public finds most puzzling is how Lee Hyuk-jin, the head of Optimus, the core of the scandal, appeared at President Moon’s overseas trip just before fleeing,” and added, “The Blue House claims he was not an official member of the delegation, but it must be clearly explained how such a person could escape just a day before the travel ban and appear close to the President during his overseas trip, and whether he followed the President abroad to attempt a rescue lobbying.”

Ahn expressed suspicion about the disbandment of the Joint Securities Crime Investigation Team at the Seoul Southern District Prosecutor’s Office, saying, “It is questionable why a well-functioning organization with much work ahead was disbanded, effectively giving wings to financial fraudsters,” and added, “The Blue House and Minister Choo must answer the reasonable suspicion that disbanding this organization was intended to delay and cover up this suspicious large-scale financial corruption investigation.”

Ahn said, “Although we cannot fully trust the statements of the Lime fraud criminal, the name of an opposition politician also came up from that person’s mouth,” and urged, “The People Power Party should not wait for the prosecution’s investigation but conduct its own investigation and disclose the facts to the public first. Only then can the ruling party’s obstruction tactics to escape from the power-type gate through diversion be blocked.”

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