'Han Myeong-sook Perjury Case' Cleared... Shin Dong-geun Says "Just Thinking About What If the Corruption Investigation Office Had Not Been Established Is Horrifying"

Shin Dong-geun, Supreme Council Member of the Democratic Party of Korea Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Choyoung] Regarding the decision reached at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office chiefs' meeting on the 19th to not prosecute the case involving allegations of witness tampering against former Prime Minister Han Myeong-sook, Shin Dong-geun, a Supreme Council member of the Democratic Party of Korea, criticized, "They have once again demonstrated how remarkably skilled this group is at protecting their own prosecutors."

On the 20th, the day after the Supreme Prosecutors' Office made this decision, Representative Shin posted on his Facebook a piece titled "The Non-Prosecution Decision on the Alleged Witness Tampering Case Confirms Why Prosecutorial Reform Must Continue," stating, "Once again, it has become clear how incompetent the prosecution is at self-reform and self-correction."

He added, "Since crayfish and crabs are generally on the same side, discussing crayfish issues in a meeting composed of crayfish and crabs was a futile endeavor from the start. Just thinking about what would have happened if the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) had not been established, or if the adjustment of investigative authority between the police and prosecution had not taken place, is terrifying. If the CIO had launched earlier and handled this alleged witness tampering case, such an absurd conclusion would not have emerged."

He further stated, "Despite talk of improving flawed investigative practices, it is clear that nothing will change within the prosecution itself regarding investigations. It has become even more evident that the only solution is to separate investigation and prosecution and limit the prosecution's investigative authority."

Meanwhile, on the 20th, the Supreme Prosecutors' Office made a final decision to dismiss charges against the inmate implicated in the alleged witness tampering during former Prime Minister Han's trial and reported this to the Ministry of Justice. The day before (the 19th), after a marathon meeting lasting over 11 hours, 10 out of 14 high-ranking prosecutors and chiefs of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office who attended the vote expressed opinions in favor of non-prosecution.

Previously, on the 17th, Minister of Justice Park Beom-gye had instructed the Supreme Prosecutors' Office chiefs' meeting through investigative supervision to review the possibility of prosecuting witness Kim, who was accused of witness tampering.

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