Choo Mi-ae to Lee Jae-myung: "Repeating apologies for Cho Kuk following public opinion... trampling on human dignity"

Lee Jae-myung Apologizes for 'Cho Kuk Incident'... "Hypocrisy Undermined Expectations of Fairness"
Choo Mi-ae: "Cho Kuk Is Not a Public Enemy in Politics"

Former Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae. [Photo by Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Midam] Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate of the Democratic Party of Korea, apologized for the so-called 'Cho Kuk incident,' but on the 2nd, Choo Mi-ae, former Minister of Justice and honorary election committee chairperson of the Democratic Party, criticized him.

On the same day, former Minister Choo posted on her Facebook under the title "I accuse the cowardice of the times," stating, "Are you uncomfortable with reform? If reform is not done, fear will dominate. Because prosecutorial reform was not carried out, political prosecutors have come to dream of being kings in the 21st century."

She pointed out, "Because media reform was not done, the media framed Cho Kuk as the epitome of unfairness, and the public, lacking detailed information, came to believe it. Even the presidential candidate repeatedly apologized for Cho Kuk following public opinion," adding, "Using the candidate's apology, Cho Kuk was stigmatized once again as unfair."

She continued, "Cho Kuk is not a public enemy in the political arena," and said, "There are two groups who mention Cho Kuk and apologies. One side is the anti-reform forces rejecting reform, and the other side is those intimidated by the power of the anti-reform forces."

Former Minister Choo also stated, "The so-called 'Cho Kuk incident' was a 'prosecutor's rebellion' and the political prosecutor 'Yoon Seok-yeol's rebellion,'" and added, "although the media and opposition parties exaggerated and inflated the 'Cho Kuk incident,' the main charge, the private equity fund suspicion, was acquitted by the Supreme Court, which rather indicates an abuse of prosecutorial power."

She further said, "The Cho Kuk incident is not an individual's tragedy. It is a warning by forces who see reform as an obstacle to maintaining and expanding vested interests, using Cho Kuk to intimidate. They set an example that anyone who recklessly pursues reform will be left in tatters like Cho Kuk," and added, "They are a vested interest cartel consisting of prosecutors, media, political forces, conglomerates, and the legal profession. As seen in the Daejang-dong case, prosecutors act as gatekeepers protecting the huge vested interest cartel of media, politics, conglomerates, and the legal profession."

Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party presidential candidate, is giving a greeting at a meeting with the American Chamber of Commerce in Korea (AMCHAM) held at the Conrad Hotel in Yeouido, Seoul, on the afternoon of the 2nd. [Image source=Yonhap News]

Former Minister Choo evaluated, "The Cho Kuk incident created by the prosecution easily divided ordinary people and Cho Kuk. It was a timely incident that gained sympathy from young people, who have fewer opportunities due to structural inequality and unfairness in our society."

She also said, "Showing the ability to distinguish and control evil is not to gain one's own power but to protect the lives of each citizen and human dignity. Apologizing for Cho Kuk tramples on human dignity."

Earlier, candidate Lee appeared at a debate hosted by the Broadcast Journalists Club and bowed his head, saying, "I have damaged the public's expectation of fairness and disappointed them due to double standards in the Cho Kuk incident."

He said, "It is still one of the root causes why the Democratic Party is shunned and criticized by the public," adding, "In an era where fairness is an issue, the Democratic Party has damaged the public's expectation of fairness, disappointed, and hurt them, which is an inexcusable mistake."

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