Prosecutors' Office Communication Record Inquiry... Opposition "Illegal Surveillance" Ruling Party "Investigation Procedure"

People Power Party Focuses Fire on Issue
Strategy to Highlight Moon Government's Prosecutorial Reform Failure

Yoon Seok-yeol, the presidential candidate of the People Power Party, is speaking at the launch ceremony of the Gyeongsangbuk-do campaign headquarters held at the Korea National Institute of Korean Studies in Andong-si, Gyeongbuk, on the afternoon of the 29th.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunju Lee] The ruling and opposition parties are clashing over differing interpretations regarding the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials' (CIO) access to communication records. The People Power Party (PPP) labels it as "illegal surveillance," while the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) insists it is a lawful investigative procedure, countering by disclosing the status of communication data provision by investigative agencies to date.

On the 30th, Yoon Seok-yeol, the PPP presidential candidate, highlighted the issue on Facebook, stating, "I would rather die standing than live kneeling." He has been intensifying his criticism of the CIO daily. Yoon had previously clashed strongly with then-Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae during the establishment phase of the CIO.

The PPP's election campaign committee is also making every effort to turn this matter into a major issue. Kim Ki-hyun, the floor leader, officially requested a meeting with President Moon Jae-in and even called for the resignation of Minister of Justice Park Beom-gye. According to the PPP, the CIO accessed the communication records of 84 PPP lawmakers. Kim Jong-in, the overall chairman of the campaign committee, said, "There has never been a case in our country where the communications of a presidential candidate couple (Yoon Seok-yeol and Kim Gun-hee) were surveilled," and demanded, "The president must clearly state his position on the CIO's actions."

Some voices have even called for the abolition of the CIO. The PPP has opposed the establishment of the CIO from the start. On this day, the PPP opened the "Moon Jae-in Regime Illegal Surveillance National Reporting Center" to receive reports from citizens who suffered from illegal surveillance and plans to promote public discussion on abolishing the CIO. Geum Tae-seop, former lawmaker and head of the campaign strategy planning office, said, "The CIO is investigating reporters today, but tomorrow it might investigate judges. Abolition is the answer." Jang Sung-min, chairman of the World and Northeast Asia Peace Forum, criticized, "Is the CIO an assassin of democracy or a new criminal group?" and pointed out, "The Moon administration's CIO reminds one of the 'National Security Emergency Planning Committee (Gukbowi)' of the Chun Doo-hwan military regime."

However, the Democratic Party emphasizes that this is a normal investigative procedure and dismisses the PPP's claims. Song Ki-heon, head of the DPK legal support team, responded, "This is a typical case of double standards and distortion of facts; it is not surveillance but lawful investigative activity," adding, "Investigative agencies receive this data according to the law." The DPK also presented statistics showing that investigative agencies, including the prosecution, received 2.55 million communication data cases in the first half of this year alone. The CIO's communication data provision this year amounts to 135 cases. Lee Jae-myung, the DPK presidential candidate, when asked about this at a Korea Newspaper and Broadcasting Editors Association debate, said, "If only the opposition party was (accessed), it would be suspicious enough," but added, "It seems unclear whether the ruling party was (accessed) or not." Meanwhile, the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee plans to hold a plenary session this afternoon to directly question Kim Jin-wook, the CIO chief, on this matter.

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