Nuclear Power Plant Investigation Stalled... Will the Probe into the 'Upper Echelon' Resume After the Holiday?

Former Minister Baek Woon-gyu's Arrest Warrant Dismissed, Prosecution Says "Will Investigate More Thoroughly"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Baek Kyunghwan] Interest is focusing on the prosecution's response strategy after the detention warrant for former Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Baek Woon-gyu, who is considered to have led the manipulation of the economic feasibility evaluation of Wolseong Nuclear Power Plant Unit 1, was dismissed following the Lunar New Year holiday. The Blue House has unusually expressed its position that it is "unacceptable" regarding the prosecution's investigation into the nuclear power plant, marking a new phase.

On the 9th, the court dismissed the detention warrant for former Minister Baek for reasons including ▲lack of sufficient evidence of criminal charges ▲room for dispute ▲protection of the right to defense. The court did not accept the prosecution's logic that requested the detention warrant, alleging that former Minister Baek intervened in Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power's manipulation of the economic feasibility evaluation for the early shutdown of Wolseong Unit 1 in 2018 and obstructed Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power's legitimate duties, and instead adopted former Minister Baek's claim that proper procedures were followed. Judge Oh, who handled the warrant hearings for two Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy officials who were indicted on charges including deletion of Wolseong nuclear power plant data, makes it difficult for the prosecution to blame the bench and strongly oppose it.

First, the prosecution's investigation, which was heading toward Chae Hee-bong, president of Korea Gas Corporation and former Blue House Industrial Policy Secretary, is expected to face setbacks. Inside and outside the prosecution, there were many speculations that after detaining former Minister Baek, they would summon former Secretary Chae, who conveyed the 'early shutdown of Wolseong Unit 1' policy to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, and former Senior Secretary for Social Affairs Kim Soo-hyun, who led the nuclear phase-out policy.

With the failure to detain former Minister Baek, it has become difficult to prove whether the Blue House exerted influence over the evaluation process of Wolseong Unit 1. Although the prosecution stated that it finds the reasons for the dismissal of the warrant hard to accept and will investigate more thoroughly, it is highly likely that they will choose to complete supplementary investigations related to the charges against Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy officials including former Minister Baek rather than investigating higher-ups.

The mounting criticism toward the prosecution is a burdensome issue. The dismissal of the warrant strengthens the claims of ruling party and government officials to "immediately stop excessive political investigations into government policies." Moreover, since the nuclear power plant investigation was the first matter Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol took care of after returning from disciplinary action at the end of last year, it cannot be ruled out that this may bolster the ruling party's push for prosecution reform.

However, it is known that the prosecution has secured statements from Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy nuclear policy official A, indicating that former Secretary Chae directly requested it in writing at the time in 2018, and that an administrative officer dispatched from the Ministry to the Blue House gave the same instructions. There are also expectations that additional investigations will begin immediately after the holiday. There is a possibility that former Secretary Chae will be summoned soon to investigate whether there were instructions from the Blue House.

Additionally, the fact that the Citizens' Action to Save Nuclear Power (Citizens' Action) filed a complaint with the prosecution accusing former Senior Secretary Kim, former Science and Technology Advisor Moon Mi-ok, and former Climate and Environment Secretary Kim Hye-ae of abuse of power has also become a variable. Former Senior Secretary Kim was the head of the Blue House Energy Policy Task Force (TF) team at the time, and former Advisor Moon and former Secretary Kim are known to have participated in this TF.

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