Joo Ho-young: "Responsibility for Dongbu Detention Center Incident Lies with Chu... Will Support Lawsuit Against the State"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporters Lee Ji-eun and Lim Chun-han] Joo Ho-young, floor leader of the People Power Party, stated that Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae should be held criminally and civilly liable for the Dongbu Detention Center incident, adding, "We will also support lawsuits against the state."

On the morning of the 5th, at a meeting between the People Power Party floor leaders and the Judiciary Committee members, Floor Leader Joo said, "Minister Choo, who has neglected the situation despite two deaths already occurring, should be investigated for dereliction of duty and professional negligence resulting in death."

He added, "President Moon should apologize for the Ministry of Justice's concealment of the incident and the authorities' delayed response and lack of countermeasures, and clearly hold Minister Choo and other responsible parties civilly and criminally liable. The People Power Party is receiving reports of damages related to the Dongbu Detention Center and is willing to support various lawsuits against the state if necessary."

Furthermore, Floor Leader Joo quoted former Blue House Chief of Staff Noh Young-min, who once said in the National Assembly, "If you lead protests and cause COVID-19 infections, you are a murderer," stating, "Minister Choo, who knowingly neglected the situation, cannot be exempt from responsibility equivalent to that of a murderer." Referring to the purpose of the Serious Accident Punishment Act, which punishes those responsible for fatal accidents, he said, "Regarding the Dongbu Detention Center incident, the Minister of Justice and the President must take responsibility."

Regarding Park Beom-gye, the nominee for Minister of Justice to succeed Minister Choo, he pointed out ▲ failure to report property related to forest land in Yeongdong, Chungbuk ▲ failure to report property of land gifted by spouse ▲ suspicions of false transactions in family gifts and the fact that he is a criminal defendant currently on trial for assaulting opposition party officials during the 2019 Fast-Track incident.

Floor Leader Joo said, "He is the third nominee embroiled in various illegal controversies following former Ministers Cho Kuk and Choo Mi-ae," and added, "We will thoroughly verify to ensure that no unqualified candidate with many legal issues is appointed to the Ministry of Justice."

Regarding the "Jung-in case," where an adopted child died at 16 months due to abuse by adoptive parents, he said, "While the adoptive parents are responsible, the police who neglected the case despite being able to prevent it are not free from responsibility," and criticized, "The police are not only negligent but also accomplices and abettors."

Floor Leader Joo said, "This is not the time for the police to be complacent, having gained investigative authority adjustments, counterintelligence investigative authority, and even the establishment of the National Investigation Headquarters," and urged, "The President should strictly hold them accountable for this issue."

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