Controversy over 'Prosecutor Intense Questioning'... Kim Eui-gyeom "Reporters Also Risk Their Reputation"

Jo Hae-jin, People Power Party Lawmaker: "No Pressure... Democratic Party Has Become a Strange Group"

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] The Democratic Party has sparked controversy over "public shaming" by revealing photos and names of 16 prosecutors investigating Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea. In response to Justice Minister Han Dong-hoon's criticism that this undermines the rule of law, Democratic Party spokesperson Kim Eui-gyeom rebutted, saying, "Reporters also put their faces on the line when writing articles."

On the 27th, spokesperson Kim appeared on KBS's "Choi Kyung-young's Strong Current Affairs" and said, "(Minister Han's comment is) an overreaction," adding, "Even KBS reporters put their names and faces on the line when reporting brief news, all under their own responsibility."

Kim Eui-gyeom, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, attended the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on the 25th, listening to remarks by Representative Lee Jae-myung with a serious expression. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

He continued, "But I don't understand why it is a problem for prosecutors, who probably do work 100 or 1,000 times more important than that, to put their names and faces on the line," and questioned, "Since they hold public responsibility, shouldn't they also bear public accountability and burden?"

Regarding the ruling party's criticism that revealing the list and photos amounts to "public shaming," he said, "Public shaming means publicly humiliating someone, right? In that sense, investigations into former President Moon Jae-in and Leader Lee have already been ongoing for almost 10 months since this government took office," adding, "More than 100 people at the level of administrative officers or higher from the Blue House have been investigated by the prosecution."

He argued that disclosing unconfirmed investigation details is actually the real public shaming. Spokesperson Kim said, "The front page of newspapers and the first news on broadcasts are flooded with prosecution investigations," adding, "Publicly announcing unconfirmed facts and suspect information, leaking investigation secrets, humiliating people, and branding them as criminals is the real public shaming."

Democratic Party lawmaker Seo Young-kyo also dismissed the public shaming controversy during an appearance on YTN's "News King Park Ji-hoon" the previous day, saying, "Names are always revealed. The responsible prosecutor, the chief prosecutor, all are named in the media. This is just organizing what is already out there."

There is also analysis that revealing the names and real identities of prosecutors will not have a significant pressure effect. On the same day, People Power Party lawmaker Cho Hae-jin said on SBS's "Kim Tae-hyun's Political Show," "Many prosecutors currently in charge of investigations at the prosecution's frontline suffered a lot during the previous Moon Jae-in administration because they were not 'pro-Moon (친문)' prosecutors," adding, "I think they will proceed with investigations without much concern about this level of pressure, and this action only makes the Democratic Party look like a strange group."

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