"Truly Petty Act" Opposition Launches Fierce Attack on Choo Ahead of Prosecutor General and Ministry of Justice Special Activity Expense Audit

National Assembly Judiciary Committee Conducts On-Site Inspection of Special Activity Funds at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office and Ministry of Justice Today

On the morning of the 9th, Choo Mi-ae, Minister of Justice (left), is arriving at the Government Complex Gwacheon.
Yoon Seok-yeol, Prosecutor General (right), is also arriving at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office in Seocho-dong, Seocho-gu, Seoul that morning.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Midam] Amid ongoing conflicts between Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae and Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol over prosecution special activity funds, on the 9th, the People Power Party raised critical voices, saying that Minister Choo's order to audit the special activity funds will be a "self-defeating move."

On the same day, Joo Ho-young, the floor leader, pointed out at the party's emergency committee meeting held at the National Assembly, "Although the Ministry of Justice is not allowed to use special activity funds, it is well known that the funds allocated to the prosecution are being reclaimed and used through loopholes."

He continued, "If the Ministry of Justice reclaimed and used the prosecution's special activity funds, how is this different from the past issue of the Blue House's (National Intelligence Service) special activity funds being handed over?"

He also criticized Minister Choo, saying, "Recently, ordering audits four times targeting Prosecutor General Yoon is problematic, but ordering an audit on special activity funds just to find faults is truly petty."

Then, Floor Leader Joo said, "Minister Choo has made several self-defeating moves," adding, "'The Druking incident' actually started because Choo Mi-ae, then leader of the Democratic Party, filed a complaint, and Governor Kim Kyung-soo of Gyeongnam is currently serving a prison sentence."

Joo Ho-young, floor leader of the People Power Party, is speaking at the Emergency Response Committee meeting held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on the morning of the 9th. [Image source=Yonhap News]

Earlier, on the 5th, Minister Choo targeted Prosecutor General Yoon at the National Assembly Legislation and Judiciary Committee plenary session, claiming that "special activity funds are being used like petty cash" and emphasized the need to verify the usage details of the special activity funds. Minister Choo then ordered the Inspection Department of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office to investigate the payment and allocation details of special activity funds at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office and various prosecution offices.

In response, lawmakers from the People Power Party on the Legislation and Judiciary Committee argued that Minister Choo is not free from issues regarding special activity funds either.

Jo Soo-jin, a People Power Party member of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, wrote on her Facebook on the same day regarding the controversy over Prosecutor General Yoon's use of special activity funds, stating, "Minister Choo's offensive on special activity funds seems more likely to corner herself rather than Prosecutor General Yoon as originally planned."

She said, "The Legislation and Judiciary Committee will visit the Supreme Prosecutors' Office at 2 p.m. today to verify the execution details of special activity funds by the prosecution and the Ministry of Justice," adding, "This document verification is because last Thursday, members of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee from the ruling party and Minister Choo suddenly raised issues about the prosecution's special activity funds."

Jo also pointed out, "In 2017, the Ministry of Justice received 28.5 billion won from the Ministry of Strategy and Finance and secured 10.6 billion won for itself," and criticized, "Since the Ministry of Justice is unrelated to intelligence or investigations, looking only at the special activity fund regulations, using special activity funds itself is nonsense."

She added, "It is uncertain whether Minister Choo corrected this practice," and argued, "The Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office has the largest number of prosecutors and many personnel maintaining prosecutions such as the 'Cho Kuk incident.' Considering the structure alone, special activity funds inevitably must be primarily allocated to the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office."

She sarcastically said, "She is the queen of self-defeat," and remarked, "She tried to impeach President Roh Moo-hyun but ended up performing the three-step, one-bow ritual herself and made President Roh's Uri Party a giant ruling party with a majority of seats. What about the results of the investigation request to catch Druking? Isn't it threatening the political life of Governor Kim Kyung-soo of Gyeongnam?"

Meanwhile, as People Power Party members of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee demanded that "the Ministry of Justice's special activity funds also be verified," the committee visited the Supreme Prosecutors' Office on the same day to review documents related to the payment and execution of special activity funds by the Supreme Prosecutors' Office and the Ministry of Justice.

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