"Like Watching a Military Operation" vs "Moon Government's National Flag Disorder" Prosecution Raids Over 'Wolseong Unit 1' Suspicion, Ruling and Opposition Parties Clash

Prosecutors Launch Sudden Investigation into Controversy over Early Shutdown of Wolseong Unit 1

The prosecution investigating the allegations of manipulation in the economic evaluation of Wolsong Nuclear Power Plant Unit 1 conducted a search and seizure at the headquarters of Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Co., Ltd. in Gyeongju, Gyeongbuk on the 5th, where the lights at the KHNP headquarters were brightly lit. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Seung-gon] Prosecutors conducted a search and seizure on the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power on the 5th in connection with the 'alleged economic feasibility manipulation of Wolseong Unit 1.' Ruling party figures strongly criticized it as a political investigation, saying, "It looks like a military operation."

On the same day, Go Min-jung, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, wrote on her Facebook, "It seems like they were prepared and are acting in perfect coordination," and pointed out, "The prosecution is reportedly conducting extensive searches on personnel in charge of nuclear power-related tasks from 2017 to 2018, including the homes and mobile phones of related country and division chiefs, in addition to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power."

Shin Jeong-hoon, also a Democratic Party member, wrote on Facebook, "The prosecution has once again started a politically motivated investigation," and pointed out, "Members of the People Power Party filed a complaint with the Daejeon District Prosecutors' Office immediately after the Board of Audit and Inspection's audit results were released."

He added, "Many see this as because close aides of Prosecutor General Yoon are concentrated at the Daejeon District Prosecutors' Office," and said, "Sure enough, the Daejeon District Prosecutors' Office conducted search and seizure at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power headquarters, and the residence of former Minister Baek Woon-gyu," raising his voice, "This has gone beyond abuse of investigative authority to the extent of privatizing investigative power."

Prosecutors have launched a search and seizure operation at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy in connection with the 'Wolseong Unit 1 economic feasibility evaluation manipulation.' On the 5th, officials were seen moving busily at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy in the Government Sejong Complex. [Image source=Yonhap News]

Shin also said, "The prosecution's pattern is exactly the same as the 'Ulsan case,' which was disguised as a Blue House-directed incident," and criticized, "It feels like the opposition party, conservative media, and prosecution have divided roles and are exaggerating the matter." He reiterated, "Since the legitimacy of the closure of Wolseong Unit 1 has already been recognized by court rulings, there is no reason or justification for a large-scale investigation."

In particular, regarding Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol's recent remark that "prosecutorial reform means investigating and punishing the living power," he criticized it as "shameless."

Shin said, "Prosecutor General Yoon suddenly went to the Daejeon District Prosecutors' Office and made a self-serving remark beyond his position, saying 'prosecutorial reform means investigating and punishing the living power,'" and questioned, "Is there anyone else among the 'living powers' in this land who embodies double standards as shamelessly and brazenly as Yoon Seok-yeol?"

Yoon Seok-yeol, Prosecutor General [Photo by Yonhap News]

Earlier, on the 22nd of last month, the People Power Party filed a complaint with the prosecution against former Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Baek Woon-gyu and others for violating the Public Records Management Act, criminal law related to invalid public documents, the Board of Audit and Inspection Act, abuse of authority, and obstruction of business, regarding allegations of obstructing the audit and manipulating the economic feasibility evaluation related to the early shutdown of Wolseong Unit 1.

Members of the National Assembly's Industry, Trade, Energy, Small and Medium Business Committee from the People Power Party issued a statement on the same day, asserting, "The small spark ignited by the Board of Audit and Inspection, the manipulation of the economic feasibility evaluation of Wolseong Unit 1 and the obstruction of the audit will now be clearly revealed through the prosecution's investigation."

They criticized, "As revealed in the audit report, which was released with great difficulty amid various obstructions and threats from the Moon Jae-in administration and the Democratic Party of Korea, the early shutdown and economic feasibility manipulation of Wolseong Unit 1 was a collaboration among the Blue House Secretariat, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, and Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power," and added, "The early shutdown of Wolseong Unit 1, whose safety and economic feasibility were proven in just over two months, was forcibly carried out."

Regarding the reason for the complaint, they said, "It is to uncover the truth about the manipulation aimed at lowering the economic feasibility of continuing operation of Wolseong Unit 1," and pointed out, "Former Minister Baek Woon-gyu and others intervened in the evaluation process of external agencies to produce an economic feasibility evaluation favorable to the immediate shutdown decision of Wolseong Unit 1, undermining the reliability of the economic feasibility evaluation."

Regarding Jeong Jae-hoon, President of Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power, who was also reported, they claimed, "He applied a low estimated Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power forecast price to the board, undermining the reliability of the economic feasibility evaluation work and hindering rational decision-making."

They urged the prosecution, "Conduct a strict investigation into the 12 individuals including former Minister Baek Woon-gyu, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy director, Chae Hee-bong, who became the President's Secretary at the Blue House and was formerly the Korea Gas Corporation president, Jeong Jae-hoon, President of Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power, and employees, and also investigate the masterminds who made them commit the crimes."

They also condemned, "The Moon Jae-in administration, the Blue House, and public institutions committed illegal acts and corruption by manipulating the economic feasibility evaluation to promote the nuclear phase-out policy, and on top of that, had powerless public officials delete 444 documents at dawn, which is unprecedented worldwide," calling it "a national disgrace and an embarrassment to the people of the Republic of Korea."

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