The Legislation and Judiciary Committee's Inquiry on 'President Yoon's Release'... Attendance of Prosecutor General Shim Woo-jung Uncertain

Opposition Plans to Adopt Prosecutor General Shim as Witness on the 19th

The National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee will hold an emergency inquiry on the 12th regarding President Yoon Seok-yeol's release. Intense clashes between the ruling and opposition parties are expected concerning the court's decision to cancel President Yoon's detention and the prosecution's directive for his release.

Prosecutor General Shim Woo-jung is answering reporters' questions on the way to work at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office in Seocho-gu, Seoul on March 10, 2025. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo

The Legislation and Judiciary Committee will convene a plenary session at 10 a.m. that day and conduct an emergency inquiry targeting the Ministry of Justice, the Court Administration, and the High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Division (Gongu-cheo).

Odongwoon, the head of Gongu-cheo, is scheduled to appear and respond. The People Power Party is expected to probe the court's decision to cancel President Yoon's detention, which raised questions about Gongu-cheo's authority to investigate the crime of rebellion, as well as the so-called 'warrant shopping' controversy.

The opposition party plans to focus its questioning on Prosecutor General Shim Woo-jung, pressing him on the background of his decision to forgo an immediate appeal against the cancellation of President Yoon's detention despite the Special Investigation Headquarters' opposition, and raise issues regarding Shim's position.

However, it is considered unlikely that Prosecutor General Shim will appear that day. Although the Democratic Party requested Shim's attendance at the emergency inquiry, the People Power Party did not agree.

If Shim does not appear that day, the Democratic Party is considering adopting a resolution through the Legislation and Judiciary Committee to summon him as a witness at the plenary session on the 19th. Yoon Jong-gun, the Democratic Party's floor spokesperson, told reporters after the party's floor strategy meeting the previous day, "If Prosecutor General Shim does not attend the emergency inquiry on the 12th, we are considering a resolution to request his witness appearance at the Legislation and Judiciary Committee on the 19th."

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