Prosecution vs Minju, 6-Hour Standoff Over Search and Seizure... Y Party Holds Emergency Supreme Council Meeting

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwangho Lee] On the 19th, as the prosecution launched a sudden search and seizure of the Minjoo Research Institute located within the Democratic Party's central party office, the standoff between the Democratic Party and the prosecution to block this has continued for five hours. In response, the Democratic Party suspended the national audit for the day and convened an emergency Supreme Council meeting.

The Anti-Corruption Investigation Division 3 of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office (Chief Prosecutor Kang Baeksin) sent about 10 prosecutors and investigators at 3 p.m. to conduct a search and seizure of the Minjoo Research Institute within the Democratic Party's central party office in Yeouido, Seoul. This was to secure evidence related to Kim Yong, the deputy director of the Minjoo Research Institute, who was arrested earlier that morning on charges of receiving illegal political funds in connection with the preferential treatment allegations in the Daejang-dong and Wirye New Town development projects.

However, the prosecution was blocked at the threshold. The search and seizure has not proceeded even after five hours, until 9 p.m., due to the ongoing standoff with the Democratic Party. The Democratic Party is strongly opposing the sudden arrest of Deputy Director Kim and the subsequent search and seizure of the party office.

Park Beom-gye, Chair of the Democratic Party's Committee Against Political Oppression by the Yoon Seok-yeol Administration, stated, "Deputy Director Kim is the deputy director of the Minjoo Research Institute, a core organization of the party. The Minjoo Research Institute and Deputy Director Kim's office are located inside our party office, and since he is a deputy director of a party organization, this is interpreted not as a search of a personal office but as a search of the party itself." In response, the prosecution clearly stated that there is no political consideration whatsoever.

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