Cho Kuk on Police Raid of Chief Prosecutor's Office: "It Won't Be Easy for Prosecution to Cover Up Corruption Anymore"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] Former Minister of Justice Cho Kuk attributed significance to the news that the police conducted a search and seizure against a current chief prosecutor for the first time in history, saying, "It is a signal that it will no longer be easy for the prosecution to abuse the warrant application right to cover up prosecutor corruption."

On the 29th, Cho Kuk posted on his social media service (SNS) Facebook account, "The police searched the office of a current chief prosecutor (Seoul Southern District Prosecutors' Office) who is accused of receiving money from a fisheries businessman (violation of the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act)," emphasizing, "This is the first time since the National Police Agency became independent from the Ministry of the Interior's Security Headquarters in 1991."

He then questioned, "Regarding this matter, a current prosecutor said, 'I followed the principles, so what's the big deal?' but well?"

Additionally, former Minister Cho said, "Before the adjustment of investigative authority, it was common for prosecutors to return various warrant applications from the police related to prosecutor corruption. For example, the 'Jo Hee-pal case' in 2012 and the 'sponsor prosecutor case' in 2016." He added, "Going forward, strong and active investigations by the police are necessary for prosecutor corruption cases that do not fall under the jurisdiction of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials."

Earlier, the Violent Crime Investigation Unit of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency conducted a search and seizure on the office and mobile phone of Chief Prosecutor A of the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors' Office on the 23rd, who is accused of violating the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act. The said chief prosecutor was reassigned as a deputy chief prosecutor at a local prosecutors' office during the mid-level prosecutor personnel reshuffle on the 25th.

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