Yoon Seok-yeol to Lecture New Prosecutors Again... Will There Be 'Frank Remarks'?

On the 3rd, in a lecture: "Prosecutors must strictly punish living powers"

Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol is arriving at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office in Seocho-gu, Seoul, on the morning of the 9th. / Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Juhyung] Amid the ruling party's criticism of Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol, accusing him of conducting a 'political investigation to shake the regime' regarding the prosecution's investigation into allegations of economic manipulation related to the early shutdown of Wolseong Nuclear Power Plant Unit 1, Yoon is scheduled to give a public lecture on the 9th. Attention is focused on whether Yoon will once again make a 'determined statement' at this event.

On the afternoon of the same day, Yoon will visit the Legal Research and Training Institute in Jincheon, Chungbuk, to give a lecture to newly appointed deputy prosecutors. This will be Yoon's second lecture at the Legal Research and Training Institute.

Previously, on the 3rd, Yoon gave a lecture to about 30 newly appointed chief prosecutors. At that time, Yoon emphasized, "The vision and goal of prosecutorial reform is to guarantee fairness and equality in the enforcement of criminal law," adding, "We must become the people's prosecution by severely punishing crimes committed by the powerful in society, including those in power."

Yoon's remarks at that time were interpreted as explaining the attitude of the prosecution as a national law enforcement agency, but some argued that it was a criticism aimed at the ruling party and Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae, who have recently been in conflict.

When the prosecution conducted a search and seizure on the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE) and its affiliated energy public enterprises on the 5th regarding the Wolseong Nuclear Power Plant Unit 1 allegations, the ruling party criticized it as a 'political investigation.'

Lee Nak-yeon, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is speaking at the 1st 4.7 By-election Planning Committee meeting held at the National Assembly on the 9th. / Photo by Yonhap News

On the 6th, Lee Nak-yeon, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, criticized the prosecution's search and seizure at the party's Supreme Council meeting, saying, "It is a political investigation and an abuse of prosecutorial power," and pointed out, "The Board of Audit and Inspection did not even request an investigation, but the prosecution responded massively to a politically motivated case filed by the opposition party."

Kim Jong-min, a Supreme Council member of the same party, labeled the prosecution's investigation as a 'commissioned investigation' and criticized, "I appeal to prosecutors in the Republic of Korea. Do not condone the political acts and unconstitutional political interference of some political prosecutors. The 'Yoon Seok-yeol prosecution' is going down the wrong path."

Friction between Minister Choo and Prosecutor General Yoon also continued.

Earlier, on the 5th, Minister Choo stated at the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee, "Yoon is spending (special activity funds) like petty cash," and said, "(The prosecution) received 9.4 billion won in special activity funds in a lump sum this year and spends it arbitrarily. They spend the money first and then prepare a record of expenditures, but they do not report to the Ministry of Justice how the money was used, so it is unknown." The next day, Minister Choo ordered the Inspection Department of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office to investigate the payment and allocation details of the special activity funds.

Meanwhile, on the 9th, when Yoon is scheduled to give a lecture, the ruling party intensified its offensive against him.

On the same day, Kim Tae-nyeon, floor leader of the Democratic Party, strongly criticized at the party's Supreme Council meeting, saying, "The prosecution is repeating 'political investigations to shake the regime' that frustrated prosecutorial reforms during the administrations of former Presidents Kim Dae-jung and Roh Moo-hyun," and added, "The prosecution's political intervention is a retrogression against democracy."

Kim, a Supreme Council member, pointed out, "When the democratic government failed to control the prosecution, the prosecution itself jumped into politics as a power witness," and said, "The judicialization of politics will ultimately destroy democracy."

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