Choo Mi-ae: "Only Democracy in Name, That's Why Approval Ratings Drop" Direct Hit at President Yoon

Former Minister Chu's Attack: "Corrupt Prosecution, Calling It a Kkanbu Government"
Netizens React: "President Yoon's Savior Has Appeared"

Former Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae. / Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Kang Ju-hee] Former Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae, who had remained silent since the June 1 local elections, criticized President Yoon Seok-yeol and the government, calling it "a democracy in name only." During her tenure as minister, Choo had a severe conflict with President Yoon, who was then Prosecutor General, by exercising her authority to direct investigations and filing disciplinary charges against him.

On the 18th, Choo pointed out on Facebook that "the serious problem of the Yoon Seok-yeol government lies in deepening the concentration of power around the prosecution organization in a democratic country," and criticized the government for losing control.

She also criticized the plan to establish a Police Bureau under the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, saying, "It will break the mutual checks and cooperation between the prosecution and the police, turning the prosecution and police into a unified and disciplined tool of governance." After the government recently announced the plan to establish the Police Bureau, there was backlash within the police over concerns that the independence and neutrality of the police could be compromised.

On the 19th, Choo posted an additional message, mentioning the current economic crisis, saying, "The more incompetent and corrupt the government is, the easier it is for the wealthy to exploit it. Even when COVID-19 struck the global economy, the country maintained a trade surplus, but now it has flipped to a trade deficit for the first time in 14 years, and trade with China has recorded a deficit for the first time in 23 years."

She added, "Yet there are no crisis measures, and instead, there are absurd policies like repaying coin debts with taxes and abolishing the prior reporting system for foreign exchange transactions, making it easier for dollars to flow out, benefiting only the wealthy. As citizens who elected a supposedly smart prosecution government, it is infuriating to have a corrupt prosecution 'kkanbu' government. That is why approval ratings are falling."

Choo, who served as Minister of Justice during the Moon Jae-in administration, clashed with President Yoon, then Prosecutor General, over personnel matters, exercising investigative directive authority, and disciplinary charges. Their conflict sparked speculation about Yoon's entry into politics and helped him rise as a presidential contender. Ultimately, Yoon, who gained high approval ratings in presidential polls, ran for president and was elected.

Since President Yoon's inauguration, Choo had refrained from expressing personal opinions, but as his approval ratings recently plummeted to the low 30% range, she appears to have resumed sharp criticism. Among netizens, comments such as "A savior has appeared as Yoon's approval ratings fall" have also emerged.

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