Yun Hojung: "The Corruption Investigation Office Must Launch Within the Year... If They Wanted 'Dictatorship,' They Could Have Just Used the Prosecutors"

Joo Ho-young, floor leader of the People Power Party, is blocking Yoon Ho-jung, chairman of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, from passing the amendment to the Corruption Investigation Office Act during the full committee meeting held at the National Assembly on the 8th. Photo by Yoon Dong-ju doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Cheol-eung] Yoon Ho-jung, chairman of the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee and a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, expressed his determination to launch the High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Office (Gongsoocheo) within this year.

On the 11th, Yoon appeared on CBS Radio's 'Kim Hyun-jung's News Show' and said, "I think (the launch of Gongsoocheo) should be done within this year," adding, "If the hearing process does not drag on, the appointment of the chief can be made within this year. If there is some delay, it will be possible at least by early next year."

Regarding criticism that the office is intended to block investigations into the ruling party's corruption, he said, "If President Moon Jae-in really thought, as the opposition claims, that he wanted to 'dictate,' why would he make Gongsoocheo so difficult? He could have simply made a deal with Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl and used the prosecution organization with its 2,000 prosecutors. Wouldn't that be what Yoon Seok-youl wanted?"

He continued, "Gongsoocheo consists of 25 prosecutors, including the chief and deputy chief. Also, the existing 2,000 prosecutors hold the authority to investigate and prosecute Gongsoocheo prosecutors."

On the 8th, when opposition members of the People Power Party criticized the Gongsoocheo Act amendment in the Legislation and Judiciary Committee as 'dictatorship,' Yoon retorted, "Those who have enjoyed the benefits of dictatorship all their lives are now accusing the opposing party of dictatorship?" In the radio interview, he said regarding related questions, "When people live buried in vested interests, they regard those who infringe even a little on their authority with great hostility. I think this is such a phenomenon."

Regarding the significance of Gongsoocheo's launch, he said, "The prosecution's monopoly on prosecution has been greatly broken," adding, "Gongsoocheo has investigative authority over high-ranking officials, and while prosecution is done by the prosecution, it holds prosecution authority over judges, prosecutors, and senior police officials. Therefore, various cases involving the prosecution, such as the Lime case where prosecutors who received entertainment were not indicted over 970,000 won, and only 0.2% of prosecutor crimes were prosecuted, are now being broken, I think."

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