Lee Cheol-hee "Chu-Yoon Incident, Lee Nak-yeon Should Apologize and the Cabinet Must Submit Resignations"

Lee Cheol-hee, member of the Democratic Party of Korea./Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Young-eun] Former Democratic Party lawmaker Lee Cheol-hee criticized the conflict between Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae and Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl on the 30th, saying, "Representative Lee Nak-yeon failed to demonstrate leadership in this incident. He should apologize to the public."

In an interview with the Chosun Ilbo on the same day, former lawmaker Lee said, "The cabinet and Blue House aides were incompetent and irresponsible," adding, "If it harms the president, the ministers and aides should take responsibility and work to resolve the situation. No one has reflected on the matter despite letting it reach this state. They should all submit their resignations."

He continued, "At some point, the ruling party began to push through with force," saying, "This is a kind of '180-seat effect.' Intoxicated by the overwhelming victory, they pushed forward with force, repeatedly making strategic misjudgments."

Former lawmaker Lee also said, "Although the former Justice Minister Cho Kuk incident last year somehow created momentum for the prosecution reform that the current ruling party desires, Minister Choo did not seek public support and consent for prosecution reform but rather pressured Prosecutor General Yoon with a 'follow me' attitude. Ultimately, as it turned into a street gang fight, the prosecution reform agenda became hollowed out (only the form remains without value or meaning)."

Regarding the Democratic Party, he said, "In the Choo-Yoon conflict, the Democratic Party played the role of a trumpeter, just cheering 'Let our side win,'" adding, "They are intoxicated by the power of their number of seats. If the public gave them such power, they should have put more effort into communicating with the public about what needs to be fixed in our society during the COVID-19 crisis."

On the ruling party's push for 'Prosecution Reform 2.0,' which separates the prosecution's investigative and prosecutorial powers to make the prosecution only responsible for prosecution, he said, "The adjustment of investigative authority between the police and prosecution as the first step of prosecution reform was only recently made. Separation of investigation and prosecution is necessary," adding, "However, since the existing adjustment of investigative authority will only be implemented in the new year, pushing for the second phase immediately could distort the true intention. It could be seen as retaliation against the prosecution. They have not learned lessons from the Choo-Yoon conflict."

He then addressed President Moon Jae-in, who is approaching the last year of his term, saying, "It is time to renew the atmosphere and wrap up and organize the tasks that have been pursued so far."

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