Geum Tae-seop: "Ruling Party's Forced Passage of the Corruption Investigation Office Act Means Woo Byung-woo Could Also Become Chief"

Criticism of 'Opposition Veto Power Removal' on Facebook
"After Creating the Woo Byung-woo Law... Democratic Party Lawmakers, Please Pause and Reflect"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hye-min] Former lawmaker Geum Tae-seop sharply criticized the Democratic Party of Korea on the 8th for deleting the opposition party's veto power over the recommendation of the head of the High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Office (PCC) through the party's sole passage of the PCC Act, saying, "It is hard to find a precedent even in a dictatorship."

Former lawmaker Geum wrote on Facebook that day, "To judge whether a change in a system is good or bad, you can apply it to the period when the system did not exist," expressing his opinion.

He said, "If the PCC Act amendment that the Democratic Party is trying to push through had existed during the Park Geun-hye administration, the ruling power could have appointed former Deputy Minister of Justice Kim Hak-ui or former Senior Secretary for Civil Affairs Woo Byung-woo as the head of the PCC without considering the opposition party," and questioned, "If such people wield investigative and prosecutorial powers over judges and prosecutors, undermining judicial independence and mobilizing the prosecution to suppress political opponents, what kind of checks and balances would exist?"

Former lawmaker Geum continued, "Who can guarantee that it will not be transformed into a surveillance agency?" and criticized, "Is it reasonable to cheer for prosecutorial reform after creating the 'Woo Byung-woo Act'?"

He emphasized, "A law that creates a power agency that can investigate and prosecute judges and prosecutors and allows the head to be appointed practically at the president's discretion is hard to find even in a dictatorship," urging, "I hope Democratic Party lawmakers stop for a moment and think about what they are doing right now."

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