Joo Ho-young: "Let's Conduct a Special Investigation and Launch the Corruption Investigation Office... But Toxic Clauses Must Be Revised"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporters Lee Ji-eun, Lim Chun-han] Joo Ho-young, floor leader of the People Power Party, proposed conducting a special prosecution for the Lime and Optimus scandals simultaneously with the launch of the High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Office (HOCI). However, he demanded that the toxic clauses be revised before proceeding.

At the floor leaders' meeting held at the National Assembly on the 20th, Floor Leader Joo said, "Let's take this opportunity to launch the HOCI, conduct a special prosecution for the Lime case, and appoint the Blue House Special Inspector, the North Korean Human Rights Foundation director, and the North Korean Human Rights Ambassador so that there are no vacancies."

He emphasized, "If you just push through the HOCI because you have a majority in seats without revising the toxic clauses hastily included in the HOCI, the public will not accept it. I officially propose revising the toxic clauses and launching the office simultaneously."

Regarding Lee Nak-yeon, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, advocating for the launch of the HOCI, he pointed out, "I wonder if he truly understands the relationship between Lime and the HOCI. If he only talks about the HOCI without apologizing for leaving the North Korean Human Rights Ambassador and the Blue House Special Inspector positions vacant for four years, his credibility will decline."

Floor Leader Joo said, "The names of those in power and influential figures in the Democratic Party are also being mentioned in connection with the Lime and Optimus funds," adding, "It would be simple to resolve if Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae or President Moon Jae-in formed a special investigation team to conduct a thorough investigation, or if they simply called for a special prosecution."

Regarding Minister Choo's investigation directive, he stated, "When those in power appeared and the power figures were disadvantaged, they excluded Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl from the investigation using a letter from a detained suspect as if it were a treasure. They are trying to divert attention from the Lime and Optimus cases with such tactics, but the ultimate solution is a special prosecution."

On the audit results concerning the early shutdown of Wolseong Unit 1, he said, "I heard that there were many difficulties during the audit process because three of the audit committee members were pro-government. It is absurd that people who were in the presidential campaign or deeply involved in the government served as audit committee members. Moreover, the Democratic Party pressured the audit committee chairman during the Judiciary Committee's National Assembly inspection, saying, 'Resign if you do not align with the president's national policy direction.'"

He emphasized, "Even aside from the audit results, the public knows that all these issues were triggered by President Moon's nuclear phase-out policy. Given this situation, strict legal responsibility should be imposed not only for the illegality in the shutdown decision process but also for evidence destruction and obstruction during the audit process."

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