Jin Joong-kwon: "Yoon Seok-yeol, a Critical Bug Created by the Democratic Party"

'How Does Progressivism Collapse?' New Book by Jin Joong-kwon: In-depth Interview with Chosun Ilbo

Former Dongyang University Professor Jin Joong-kwon. /Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Suwan] Former Dongyang University professor Jin Joong-kwon evaluated, "Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol is a fatal 'bug (error)' in the Democratic Party's program."

In an interview with Chosun Ilbo on the 16th regarding his recently published book, How Progressives Collapse (Millennium Imagination), Jin said about Prosecutor General Yoon, "He is not a political person but someone loyal to the prosecution organization. He believes that the prosecution's duty is to eradicate the great evils of society and that the sword must be wielded fairly, whether on this side or that side." He added, "It is true that too much power has been concentrated in the Korean prosecution, but he is not someone who has a sense of problem about that."

Jin also said, "Assemblyman Geum Tae-seop opposed Yoon's appointment because he believed Yoon had too strong a sense of mission toward the prosecution, but former Minister of Justice Cho Kuk forcibly pushed it through for the sake of clearing out deep-rooted evils. They used a sharp sword to strike the Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye administrations, but when that sword turned toward themselves, they could not handle it. In their program, Yoon Seok-yeol was a bug."

Regarding Yoon's rise as a next presidential candidate, Jin emphasized, "It is not desirable to push it that way. Yoon Seok-yeol is a prosecutor and should remain until the end as a martyr of justice."

Jin explained, "Our only concern in civil society should be whether he protects his investigation from the pressure of power as a prosecutor and retires. Whether he goes into politics or not can be discussed after retirement."

He also addressed why he strongly criticizes his friend, former Minister Cho Kuk, saying, "In the past, the progressive camp would apologize or pretend to apologize when corruption or scandal cases emerged, but this time, that very standard has collapsed."

He added, "If a person lives without much reflection, they can become like that. As a friend, I could forgive, but the problem is the behavior afterward. He must tell the truth for me to be able to help him."

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