Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office Transfers Park Beom-gye's Accusation Case for 'Participation in Lee Jae-myung's Campaign Team Group Chat' to Anyang Branch... Assigned to Criminal Division 3

Minister of Justice Park Beom-gye./Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Seok-jin, Legal Affairs Specialist] The case involving Minister of Justice Park Beom-gye, who was reported for participating in a group chat room for election campaigning of Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party presidential candidate, despite being a current public official prohibited from electioneering, has been transferred from the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office to the Anyang Branch of the Suwon District Prosecutors' Office.

According to the legal community on the 18th, the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office transferred the case, in which the Action Alliance for the Restoration of the Rule of Law (Beopse-ryeon) accused Minister Park of violating the Public Official Election Act and the National Public Service Act, to the Anyang Branch of the Suwon District Prosecutors' Office on the 8th.

The case was assigned to the Criminal Division 3 (Chief Prosecutor Oh Ki-chan) of the Anyang Branch of the Suwon District Prosecutors' Office, with Prosecutor Lee in charge of the investigation.

Minister Park’s inclusion in a Telegram group chat operated by the Democratic Party’s Special Advisory Group for the election campaign was revealed through the media, raising allegations of election law violations.

The group chat, created during last year’s Democratic Party presidential primary, reportedly included about 3,000 participants such as current and former members of the National Assembly and Lee’s special advisors, and was operated to support Lee’s election campaign.

Beopse-ryeon filed a complaint against Minister Park with the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office on the 2nd, accusing him of violating the Public Official Election Act and the National Public Service Act.

At the time, Lee Jong-bae, the representative of Beopse-ryeon, stated, "It has been revealed that Minister Park participated in the Telegram group chat '[Communication Room] Lee Jae-myung Candidate General Special Advisory Group,' which was established by the Democratic Party’s Special Advisory Group for Lee Jae-myung’s presidential campaign." He pointed out, "The Minister of Justice’s affiliation with a specific presidential candidate’s election campaign group clearly violates Article 85 of the Public Official Election Act, which prohibits public officials from engaging in electioneering, and Article 65 of the National Public Service Act, which bans political activities."

He added, "The chat room included about 3,000 active members such as current and former lawmakers and Lee’s special advisors, who engaged in electioneering activities such as mobilizing supporters, distributing online promotional images and election-related articles, and posting recruitment notices for committee chairpersons and vice-chairpersons under the campaign headquarters, as well as urgent requests from the headquarters. There was also an operational guideline stating that the Telegram room was run 'to deliver and share more accurate and prompt information and to encourage active participation in the election campaign by supporters.' Taken together, this clearly shows that the group was for Lee Jae-myung’s election campaign."

Lee said, "As the Minister of Justice, who is responsible for managing fair elections and holds the ultimate responsibility for prosecutorial affairs related to elections, it is shocking that he is a member of a specific presidential candidate’s election campaign group. Regardless of his level of activity, merely being a member constitutes a violation of the law and is a serious anti-democratic act that undermines election fairness."

He continued, "The Minister of Justice’s participation in an online group for a specific presidential candidate’s election campaign is effectively illegal intervention by a state agency in the election, constituting a clear case of election manipulation and a serious disruption of national order."

Minister Park had previously explained on the 25th of last month at the National Assembly’s Legislation and Judiciary Committee, in response to opposition lawmakers’ questions, that "I was invited without my will," and "I did not know the nature of the group, who was in it, nor did I leave any opinions."

Regarding Minister Park’s statement, Lee said, "Minister Park claims he did not know he was invited, but it is a cunning deception to say he was unaware despite being in the group chat for several months. This is akin to absurd sophistry, like saying one accepted money but did not know it was a bribe, mocking the public."

In the legal community, there are many opinions that, given Minister Park’s role as the person responsible for prosecutorial affairs investigating and prosecuting election-related crimes, even if he did not actively participate in the chat room, merely being a member of a group chat supporting a specific candidate’s election campaign could constitute a violation of the political neutrality obligation of public officials or a breach of election laws. Minister Park left the group chat after media inquiries began.

Article 65 of the National Public Service Act prohibits public officials from engaging in political activities such as supporting or opposing a specific party or individual in elections. Additionally, Article 27 of the National Public Service Regulations (Presidential Decree), enacted under the authority of the National Public Service Act, lists acts aimed at electing or defeating a specific candidate in public elections as prohibited 'political acts.'

Article 85 of the Public Official Election Act prohibits public officials from engaging in electioneering or influencing elections in relation to their duties or by using their position.

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