Jin Joong-kwon: "Sim Sang-jung, Be Ashamed... Trash That Ruined Progressivism"

Former Dongyang University professor Jin Joong-kwon is giving a lecture on the topic "Talking about Korean Society: The Future of Ideology, Generation, and Culture" at a seminar hosted by the Economic and Social Research Institute held on the afternoon of July 2nd at Choi In-a Bookstore in Gangnam-gu, Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Young-eun] Former Dongyang University professor Jin Joong-kwon criticized Justice Party lawmaker Shim Sang-jung, who supported the amendment to the High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Office (PCC) Act, saying, "You should be ashamed," on the 10th.

On the day the amendment to the PCC Act, which included provisions to nullify the opposition party's veto power, passed the National Assembly plenary session, former professor Jin wrote on his Facebook, "Shim Sang-jung, you should be ashamed. Do you think Roh Hoe-chan would have supported this?" He further stated, "It's fine to betray your conscience, but please don't sell out Roh Hoe-chan. You are the trash that ruined the progressive movement."

In another post, former professor Jin said, "The core of this amendment is nullifying the opposition party's veto power and lowering the qualification requirements from 10 years to 7 years," adding, "Removing the 'opposition party's veto power' ultimately means appointing the PCC chief with their own people, and relaxing the qualification requirements means filling the investigative staff with their own people as well."

He continued, "In the end, all of this will boomerang," and said, "When the regime changes, even the 'People Power Party,' which is now risking their lives to oppose this, will not think of fixing it. Why would they refuse when they can wield a sword called the prosecution in one hand and a sword called the PCC in the other?"

Former professor Jin criticized, "Mutual checks and balances between the prosecution and the PCC? That's a laughable story," adding, "Anyway, both the Prosecutor General and the PCC chief are their own people, so there is no way it can be a check. Even if a bug like Yoon Seok-youl appears, if the prosecution doesn't listen, they will go after them with the PCC, and if the PCC doesn't listen, they will go after them with the prosecution. Won't they do that?"

He also pointed out, "Ultimately, the problem is the imperial presidency, not the prosecution. No matter how the system is made, power can always nullify that system," and said, "What Chu Mi-ae is doing is exactly that. She completely ignores the constitution, laws, procedures, and regulations."

Following this, former professor Jin evaluated Democratic Party lawmaker Cho Eung-cheon, who did not participate in the PCC Act vote, and Justice Party lawmaker Jang Hye-young, who abstained, saying, "We should take comfort in the fact that there are two lawmakers who kept their conscience," and called them "precious survivors who survived among zombies."

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