[Summary] "Prosecutors' Office Should Hurry" vs "Special Prosecutor Needed" Dispute Between Ruling and Opposition Over 'Lime·Optimus' Investigation

Lee Nak-yeon "If the Opposition Does Not Nominate a Recommendation Committee Member for the Corruption Investigation Office Chief, Alternative Legislation Will Be Prepared"
People Power Party Announces Submission of Special Prosecutor Bill

Kim Jong-in, Emergency Response Committee Chairman of the People Power Party, Joo Ho-young, Floor Leader, and others are attending the Emergency Response Committee meeting held on the morning of the 19th at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Suwan] As Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae has exercised her authority to direct the investigation into the lobbying allegations related to Lime Asset Management (Lime), the ruling and opposition parties are fiercely clashing over the Lime and Optimus fund fraud scandals. While the ruling party is urging the establishment of the High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Agency (HOCI), the opposition party is insisting on the appointment of a special prosecutor (SP) day after day.

The Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) is countering the opposition's call for a special prosecutor with the establishment of the HOCI. At the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on the 19th, DPK leader Lee Nak-yeon stated, "A key figure in the Lime scandal revealed through a prison letter that the prosecution knew about the misconduct of prosecutors and lobbying allegations involving opposition politicians but failed to properly investigate," adding, "A thorough investigation must be conducted even at this stage. Alongside this, we will expedite the establishment and operation of the HOCI," emphasizing the need to advance the establishment of the HOCI.

He continued, "There is one week left for the opposition to recommend members for the HOCI chief candidate recommendation committee," and stressed, "If the opposition ultimately fails to make recommendations, we will prepare alternative legislation within the National Assembly according to parliamentary procedures." Earlier, the DPK had notified the opposition to initiate the recommendation process for the HOCI chief candidate recommendation committee by the National Assembly audit period ending on the 26th.

Kim Tae-nyeon, the DPK floor leader, also urged, "The misconduct of the group of prosecutors hidden behind the financial fraud cases and the suspicion of fabricated targeted investigations are shocking in themselves," and called for "a thorough investigation without any suspicion regardless of status or rank."

Lee Nak-yeon, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is speaking at the Supreme Council-National Chairpersons Joint Meeting held at the National Assembly on the 16th. Photo by Yonhap News

Kim also emphasized, "Anyone found to have committed crimes during the investigation of the Lime and Optimus scandals, whether in politics, finance, or elsewhere, must be strictly punished without exception," and urged, "A thorough investigation into the allegations of some prosecutors manipulating the investigation process is also demanded."

In particular, the ruling party holds a negative stance toward the opposition's continuous demand for the introduction of a special prosecutor following the Lime and Optimus scandals. They argue that pushing for a special prosecutor would take time for legislation and formation, potentially hindering the promptness of the ongoing investigations.

Democratic Party spokesperson Hong Jeong-min said at the National Assembly communication office on the same day, "We judged that the special prosecutor is not efficient because it takes three to four months to form the investigation team, which could prolong the investigation," adding, "The DPK's position is that the prosecution's investigation should proceed swiftly and efficiently."

The People Power Party (PPP) officially proposed a special prosecutor to uncover the truth behind the Lime and Optimus scandals. At the PPP emergency committee meeting held at the National Assembly, PPP emergency committee chairman Kim Jong-in stated, "I officially propose conducting a special prosecutor investigation to handle the Lime and Optimus scandals in the most objective and clear manner."

Chairman Kim pointed out, "A suspect in the Lime scandal wrote a letter from prison, which has sparked an unimaginable dispute between Prosecutor General Yoon and Minister Choo," and noted, "Such a situation is unprecedented in any past government."

He added, "With the prosecution and Ministry of Justice showing such behavior, can the public trust the objectivity of the investigation?" and urged, "If the government and ruling party are willing to cooperate with an objective investigation of this case, they must accept the special prosecutor we propose."

Kim Jong-in, Emergency Committee Chairman of the People Power Party [Image source=Yonhap News]

Floor leader Joo Ho-young also said at the meeting, "We should entrust the investigation to a special prosecutor for a thorough investigation, and both ruling and opposition parties must immediately stop the political strife surrounding this issue," adding, "We will submit a special prosecutor law to realize the special prosecutor as soon as possible."

Joo argued, "The public can no longer watch the Minister of Justice and Prosecutor General fighting over these cases in such difficult times," and stated, "We cannot waste national power on the investigation of these cases. The only choice is the special prosecutor."

He further pointed out, "It is well known that the heads of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office and the Southern District Prosecutors' Office investigating the Lime and Optimus cases are pro-Choo Mi-ae and pro-government figures," and criticized, "When the investigation stalled and problems arose, instead of holding them accountable, Minister Choo shifted the blame to Prosecutor General Yoon, only to be rebutted within an hour, yet she remains calm and composed."

The day before, the PPP's "Lime and Optimus Power Corruption Gate Special Committee" issued a statement saying, "Those opposing the special prosecutor are the main culprits of this massive fraud," and urged, "With the prosecution, opposition, and power all protecting each other, whom can the public and victims trust? To firmly establish law and principles, an independent special prosecutor investigation must be conducted."

Meanwhile, Minister Choo instructed Prosecutor General Yoon to halt his command over the investigations into the Lime lobbying allegations and the allegations involving the Prosecutor General's family on the same day.

Minister Choo explained the reason for excluding Prosecutor General Yoon from the command line by stating, "In the Lime lobbying allegations, the involvement of the Prosecutor General himself cannot be completely ruled out in clarifying the facts."

Earlier, the Ministry of Justice announced that based on a three-day inspection investigation of Kim Bong-hyun, former chairman of Star Mobility (46, detained and indicted), who exposed lobbying allegations involving opposition politicians and prosecutors through a prison statement the previous day, "It was confirmed that the prosecution did not properly investigate the related allegations," and added, "Separate from the inspection, we are reviewing the investigative subject and method."

Minister Choo exercised her authority to direct the investigation focusing on the prosecution process and allegations of prosecutor misconduct related to the Lime scandal. The matters under her investigative command include △ the suspicion of fabricated investigations involving 66 summonses of former Star Mobility chairman Kim Bong-hyun △ allegations of inadequate investigation by the Prosecutor General △ allegations of entertainment and hospitality provided to prosecutors and prosecution officials.

At the same time, she instructed the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, which is investigating the Prosecutor General's family case, to strengthen the related investigation team and conduct a swift and thorough investigation.

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