野 "Chaesugeun Case Requires Special Prosecutor, Jamboree Needs Parliamentary Inquiry" Total Offensive

"Ministry of National Defense Prosecution Unit Loses Trust... Calls for Truth Investigation via Special Prosecutor"
Opposition Emphasizes Need for 'State Audit' Regarding Jamboree Disruption

The Democratic Party of Korea announced on the 14th that it will push for a special prosecutor (special investigation) regarding allegations of external pressure in the investigation of the death in the line of duty of the late Corporal Chae Su-geun. The party also repeatedly urged the implementation of a parliamentary audit on the poor management of the World Scout Jamboree and continued its full-scale offensive against the government and the ruling party.

Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is speaking at the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on the 14th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

Park Kwang-on, the floor leader of the Democratic Party, said at the party's Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on the same day, "Distorting the death of a young soldier is not something the state should do to the deceased soldier, the bereaved family, or the people," and emphasized, "The allegations of external pressure in the investigation of Corporal Chae Su-geun must be clearly revealed through a special prosecutor."

Park also stated, "We can never overlook the abuse of power that undermines the national system," and argued, "The Ministry of National Defense prosecution team has already lost the trust of the people. Now, the Ministry of National Defense should no longer be the subject of investigation but the target of investigation." He continued, "It has been almost a month since Corporal Chae died in the line of duty, but the investigative agencies have not even started the investigation yet," adding, "Concerns about evidence destruction are growing, and public suspicion and outrage are increasing. The truth must be uncovered through a special prosecutor."

Regarding the Presidential Office's position that "there was no indication that the National Security Office was involved," Park criticized, "It is not that 'there was none,' but rather an ambiguous stance of 'we believe there was none,'" calling it "an opinion, not a fact check." He further pointed out, "Former Marine Corps Investigation Unit Commander Colonel Park Jeong-hoon clearly stated that he received several improper requests from the Presidential Office's National Security Office, which is not an investigative agency, to submit investigation reports," and condemned, "The nature of this incident is a serious abuse of power and a disruption of national order."

Supreme Council Member Jeong Cheong-rae said, "Colonel Park claims that he refused unjust orders and that this is why he was charged as the ringleader of collective insubordination," and sarcastically added, "If Colonel Park is the ringleader of collective insubordination, does that mean the Minister of National Defense who approved the investigation contents is guilty of instigating collective insubordination?"

Chief Spokesperson Kwon Chil-seung also explained to reporters after the Supreme Council meeting, "There were opinions that a parliamentary audit or special prosecutor is needed regarding the Saemangeum Jamboree, the Seoul-Yangpyeong Expressway, the Osong underpass disaster, the LH apartment rebar omission, and the allegations of external pressure in the investigation of Colonel Park of the Marine Corps."

Furthermore, the Democratic Party insisted that a parliamentary audit must be conducted regarding the controversy over the 2023 Saemangeum World Scout Jamboree. Floor Leader Park said about the Jamboree fiasco, "There is sufficient need for a parliamentary audit," and added, "The Democratic Party will take full responsibility and properly document the Jamboree's poor management in a white paper to leave lessons."

Park urged the People Power Party, saying, "At the very least, I hope you acknowledge the lack of preparation that has occurred under this government," and "I hope you give up attempts to obscure the essence by mobilizing the Board of Audit and Inspection."

Earlier, Kim Yoon-duk, a Democratic Party lawmaker who served as co-chairman of the Jamboree organizing committee, bowed his head for the first time among the organizing committee chairs regarding the Jamboree fiasco the day before, stating, "Powerful institutions trying to cover up their mistakes by sacrificing weaker frontline public officials through inspection attempts cannot properly clarify the essence of this incident," and insisted, "A swift parliamentary audit is necessary to correctly determine the right and wrong of this incident."

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