Daegum Requests Political Circles to "Refrain from Protest Visits... Disrupts Official Duties, Undermines Neutrality"

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] On the 13th, the Supreme Prosecutors' Office expressed "concern and regret over protest visits by political circles that may hinder normal official duties and undermine the political neutrality and fairness of the prosecution, and earnestly requested caution and restraint from the political circles."

In a statement released that day, the Supreme Prosecutors' Office said, "Recently, protest visits to the prosecution office related to investigations of current issues by ruling and opposition parties have become frequent. While we will naturally listen to various opinions from the political circles and the public, such collective protest visits will no longer be accepted in accordance with relevant regulations."

It added, "We would like to reiterate that we will thoroughly and fairly fulfill our duties in accordance with laws and principles regarding investigations and trials of current issues."

This appears to be aimed at the protest visit to the Supreme Prosecutors' Office building two days earlier by about 20 lawmakers from the People Power Party concerning the death of Mr. Lee, the first whistleblower of the 'lawyer fee payment suspicion' involving Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party presidential candidate.

The Supreme Prosecutors' Office explained, "Following a protest visit last October by about 30 people including members of the National Assembly from the People Power Party, yesterday about 20 people held a press conference in the same manner for about three hours, nine of whom met with the Deputy Prosecutor General of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office and then staged a sit-in in the hallway in front of the Prosecutor General's office demanding a one-on-one meeting between the floor leader and the Prosecutor General before leaving."

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