[Comprehensive] "Stop the Rampage Immediately" vs "Shaking the Prosecution" Prosecution's 'Wolseong Unit 1' Investigation Sparks Ruling and Opposition Parties' Dispute

Lee Nak-yeon "Prosecution's Political Investigation of Wolseong Unit 1 Is Abuse of Prosecutorial Power"
Joo Ho-young "Ministry of Trade Officials Committed Illegal Act by Deleting 444 Files"

Lee Nak-yeon, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is delivering a greeting at the "Democratic Party of Korea Discussion on the Foreign Policy Direction of the Next U.S. Administration and Prospects for the Korean Peninsula Policy" held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul on the 6th.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Seung-gon] Political disputes continue over the prosecution's investigation into allegations of the early shutdown of Wolseong Nuclear Power Plant Unit 1. Lee Nak-yeon, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, has labeled the prosecution's investigation related to Wolseong Unit 1 as a 'political investigation.' The People Power Party criticized the ruling party, saying the entire ruling bloc is confronting the prosecution.

On the 6th, Lee Nak-yeon, leader of the Democratic Party, stated at the party's Supreme Council meeting that the prosecution's search and seizure of related agencies, including the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, regarding allegations of manipulation of the economic feasibility evaluation of Wolseong Unit 1, is a "political investigation and abuse of prosecutorial power." He pointed out, "The Board of Audit and Inspection did not even request an investigation, yet the prosecution has responded massively to a politically motivated case filed by the opposition party."

Lee said, "Energy transition is a key policy promoted by President Moon Jae-in and his administration, as well as a campaign pledge," adding, "Judicial investigations into this can only be interpreted as the prosecution attempting to influence government policy areas."

He continued, "It reminds me of the time last year when, during the National Assembly hearing on the Minister of Justice, a large-scale search and seizure was conducted on the minister's family," and criticized, "The sudden investigation took place just two weeks after the opposition party filed a complaint with the Daejeon District Prosecutors' Office and one week after Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl visited the office, raising suspicions."

He warned, "I do not want to believe that the opposition party and some political prosecutors are colluding to attack the government. However, if such intentions exist, the public will not tolerate it." He added, "Our party will not overlook the behavior of some political prosecutors for the honor of the majority of prosecutors who quietly fulfill their duties," urging, "The prosecution should immediately stop this dangerous and reckless rampage."

Kim Jong-in, Emergency Response Committee Chairman of the People Power Party, is speaking at the party members' meeting held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul on the 6th.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

◆ People Power Party: "It looks like the entire ruling bloc is confronting the prosecution"

In response, on the 7th, Yoon Hee-seok, spokesperson for the People Power Party, criticized in a morning statement, "I thought it was a conflict between the minister and the prosecutor general, but now it looks like the entire ruling bloc is confronting the prosecution."

Spokesperson Yoon said, "They claim the reason is that it touches on a core policy of the Moon Jae-in administration, which was also a campaign pledge, but that is simply absurd," adding, "If there are suspicions, investigating is the prosecution's fundamental duty. So what if it was a campaign pledge or a core policy of the administration?"

He continued, "Minister Choo Mi-ae also did not stop and kept shaking the prosecution," criticizing again, "She claimed the prosecutor general used special activity funds like petty cash, implying there was a problem, and then immediately ordered an investigation. How emotional that intention must be."

As the prosecution has launched a search and seizure of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy in connection with the 'manipulation of the economic feasibility evaluation of Wolseong Unit 1,' officials are busily moving around at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy in the Government Sejong Complex on the 5th.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

He then asked, "What are they trying to gain by doing this?" and said, "The excessive shaking of the prosecution is only exhausting the public. When will this boring and incomprehensible soap opera finally end?"

The People Power Party leadership launched an offensive against the Moon Jae-in administration's nuclear phase-out policy. On the previous day (the 6th), Kim Jong-in, emergency committee chairman, attended a 'Special Lecture on Correct Understanding of Nuclear Power' held at the National Assembly Members' Office Building and said, "Nuclear phase-out is not a reasonable story given our country's reality," adding, "While talking about the Fourth Industrial Revolution, there is no vision on how to secure energy for 5G, hydrogen cars, and electric vehicles. Eventually, the time will come when we have no choice but to resume nuclear power generation."

Floor leader Joo Ho-young said, "The nuclear phase-out policy is a self-harming policy," and added, "Beyond the policy, the procedure may also be illegal," claiming, "During the Board of Audit and Inspection's audit process on the decision to shut down Unit 1, officials from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy illegally deleted 444 files late at night." He questioned, "This case was revealed by the destruction of files. Would they have deleted everything if there was nothing to hide?"

Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol, who resumed nationwide prosecutor's office tour meetings after eight months, is leaving the building after holding a meeting with local prosecutors at the Daejeon District Prosecutors' Office on the afternoon of the 29th of last month.
[Image source=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 obstructing the audit by the Board of Audit and Inspection and allegations of manipulation of the economic feasibility evaluation related to the early shutdown of Wolseong Unit 1, citing violations of 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.

Members of the National Assembly's Industry, Trade, Small and Medium Enterprises Committee from the People Power Party stated in a press release that "as revealed in the audit report by the Board of Audit and Inspection, which was released with great difficulty amid various obstructions and threats from the Moon Jae-in administration and the Democratic Party, the early shutdown and economic feasibility manipulation of Wolseong Unit 1 was a joint effort by the Blue House Secretariat, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, and Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP)." They criticized, "The early shutdown of Wolseong Unit 1, which was proven safe and economically viable in just over two months, was forcibly carried out."

On the 5th, the Daejeon District Prosecutors' Office Criminal Division 5 (Public Investigation Division, Chief Lee Sang-hyun) conducted search and seizure operations in the morning at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy in the Government Sejong Complex, KHNP headquarters in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, and the Korea Gas Corporation headquarters in Sinseo-dong, Daegu, sending prosecutors and investigators. The homes and offices of former Minister Baek Woon-gyu, former Blue House Industrial Policy Secretary Chae Hee-bong (current president of Korea Gas Corporation), and former Director of Energy Resources at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy Park Won-joo (former Commissioner of the Korean Intellectual Property Office) were also included in the search targets.

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