People Power Party: "Prosecutor's Office Search and Seizure Is Regime's Opposition Suppression and Political Plot"

Yoon "Smearing Opposition Candidate"
Forced Search of Witness, Criticism Over 'Osu' Search

Lee Jun-seok, leader of the People Power Party, and Assemblyman Kim Woong protested on the 10th at Assemblyman Kim Woong's office in the National Assembly Members' Office Building in Yeouido, Seoul, against the prosecutors and investigators from the High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Division who conducted a search related to the so-called 'report solicitation' allegations involving former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jun-yi] The People Power Party (PPP) has poured criticism on the High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Unit (HOCI), which conducted a search and seizure at the office of Assemblyman Kim Woong, calling it "oppression of the opposition party" and "political manipulation." They pointed out that the search was excessively conducted on Assemblyman Kim, who was only a witness, and that unrelated words were searched during the process.

Heo Eun-ah, the chief spokesperson for the PPP, issued a statement on the 11th, saying, "The HOCI will inevitably be held accountable for interfering in the presidential election and political manipulation."

Spokesperson Heo criticized, "Lee Seong-yoon, the Seoul District Prosecutor's Office chief, who is a pro-government prosecutor, even provided 'emperor-like protocol' by personally escorting the HOCI chief in an official car, yet they carried out a search and seizure with lies and coercion against an opposition party lawmaker who was merely a witness. No matter that the HOCI was born out of the president's directive and the ruling Democratic Party's legislative rampage, isn't this shameful before the people?"

Heo also raised issues with the HOCI briefing the media on charges and investigation backgrounds after the search, despite claiming to avoid leaking investigations, and with the rapid handling of only opposition-related cases. Previously, the HOCI filed charges against former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol and former Deputy Director of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office Investigation Information Policy Division Son Jun-sung within three days of receiving the complaint, including four counts such as abuse of authority, disclosure of official secrets, violation of the Public Official Election Act, and violation of the Personal Information Protection Act, and launched a forced investigation within four days.

Heo added, "The harsher the regime's severe oppression of the opposition and political manipulation become, the more fiercely the flame of regime change will burn," and "The People Power Party will walk that path together with the people."

On the same day, Lee Jun-seok, leader of the PPP, raised issues regarding the HOCI's search and seizure on Facebook. Lee pointed out, "Assemblyman Kim was not even named as a suspect in the warrant," and said, "It is strange to forcibly conduct a search and seizure on a third party."

He also criticized the fact that the search was conducted without presenting a warrant to Kim himself. He said, "Assemblyman Kim actively cooperated with the search and seizure of his residence, vehicle, and office in Songpa District," and questioned, "Why did they try to execute the search at the National Assembly members' office building without even presenting a warrant to Assemblyman Kim?"

Furthermore, Lee claimed it was unacceptable that keywords such as 'Cho Kuk,' 'Miae,' and 'Oh Soo' were searched on the computers of Assemblyman Kim and his aides. Lee said, "One cannot help but suspect that the HOCI is trying to collect information on Prosecutor General Kim Oh-soo whenever they have a chance while conducting searches related to various cases," and added, "In a situation where the HOCI searches for 'Oh Soo' on the computer of a lawmaker preparing for a national audit, who is only a witness and not a suspect, how can any opposition lawmaker carry out normal legislative activities to check and monitor the government?"

Kim Byung-min, spokesperson for former Prosecutor General Yoon's camp, who is involved in the 'alleged complaint manipulation' scandal, criticized the search on Assemblyman Kim and the indictment of former Prosecutor General Yoon as a suspect in a statement the day before, saying, "They are working with habitual complainants to tarnish former Prosecutor General Yoon." He further warned, "We strongly warn the regime, prosecutors, and the HOCI. Immediately stop the slander against candidate Yoon."

Meanwhile, on the morning of the same day, the People Power Party plans to visit the Supreme Prosecutors' Office to file a complaint against the HOCI investigators responsible for the illegal search and seizure.

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