Choi Jae-hyung: "Aide to President Moon called to complain after I thanked the Blue House Chief of Staff"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Chun-han] Choi Jae-hyung, former chairman of the Board of Audit and Inspection and standing advisor to the People Power Party's presidential candidate Yoon Seok-yeol's election campaign headquarters, stated on the 4th regarding the audit related to the early shutdown decision of Wolseong Nuclear Power Plant Unit 1, "There was unprecedented resistance to the audit concerning matters carried out under the Blue House's instructions."

Choi said in the People Power Party's policy broadcast speech released that day, "Although there was clear evidence of errors in the economic feasibility evaluation and manipulation of results, the government and the ruling party refused to acknowledge the audit results," adding, "Before the audit results were even announced, I was summoned to the National Assembly and attacked with the words, 'If you don't like the president's direction of state affairs, resign.'"

Regarding the regular audits last September of three agencies?the Presidential Secretariat, the Presidential Security Service, and the National Security Office?as well as the president’s advisory committees, Choi revealed, "While auditing the Blue House, I pointed out the irregular payments made to the president’s advisory committees. Coincidentally, they were close aides of the president," and added, "I received a protest call from the Chief of Staff of the Blue House. The claim was that auditing the president’s advisory committees while auditing the Blue House was illegal." He continued, "Ultimately, it was about why I audited the president’s close aides," and emphasized, "I conducted the audit according to principles, and whether the subject of the violation was a close aide of the president or not was irrelevant."

Regarding his refusal last year to recommend Kim Oh-soo, former Deputy Minister of Justice, as an audit commissioner, Choi said, "Kim Oh-soo was appointed as Prosecutor General, a position requiring political neutrality and independence in duty. What was the result? Investigations unfavorable to the regime were all halted or stalled."

Choi criticized, "In the investigation into allegations related to donations to Seongnam FC, the head of the Seongnam District Prosecutors’ Office led efforts to delay the investigation," and questioned, "Can we really say that everyone is equal before the law under this regime?"

Choi evaluated, "Yoon Seok-yeol, the People Power Party’s presidential candidate and former Prosecutor General, has walked a path similar to mine in many respects," and said, "Candidate Yoon has been loyal not to power but solely to the people, maintaining the stance of a principled prosecutor who investigates wrongdoing regardless of rank or status." He added, "However, he became the target of concentrated attacks and political retaliation by the regime for uncovering the corruption of former Minister of Justice Cho Kuk and ordering investigations into nuclear phase-out based on investigation materials notified by the Board of Audit and Inspection."

Choi stated, "The new system that the People Power Party will create starts with changing the way the president works," and vowed, "I will make the term 'imperial president' disappear into history."

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