Justice Minister: "Prosecution Faces Criticism for Assisting Yoon in Eliminating Political Opponents... Must Empathize with Public Anger"

Minister of Justice Jeong Seongho stated that the prosecution must correct the criticism against itself for allegedly participating in the elimination of former President Yoon Suk Yeol's political opponents.

Justice Minister Sungshho and Defense Minister Kyu-baek Ahn are attending the Cabinet Meeting and Emergency Economic Headquarters Meeting held at the Government Complex Seoul in Jongno-gu, Seoul on April 21. Photo by Jo Yongjun

원본보기 아이콘

On April 26, Minister Jeong wrote on Facebook, "All preparations for the launch of the third Past Affairs Committee have been completed," and made this statement.

Citing the legal maxim, "Delayed justice is not justice," he pointed out, "The prosecution is facing public criticism that its former chief, Yoon Suk Yeol, disregarded political neutrality and moved directly into political power, and that throughout his administration, the prosecution actively assisted in eliminating his political opponents."

He also criticized the prosecution's investigative practices that were pointed out during the National Assembly's 'Parliamentary Investigation into Allegations of Manipulated Prosecutions by Political Prosecutors under the Yoon Suk Yeol Administration.'

Minister Jeong said, "Changing the indictment they themselves drafted, conducting over a hundred searches and seizures, summoning defendants more than one hundred times, and granting witness entry permits to allow those summoned to serve as aides to the defendants-these are actions difficult to justify, not only as a minister but also as someone who has served in the legal field for over 30 years."

He continued, "If prosecutors, as guardians of justice, are strongly suspected of failing to uphold due process, it is also their duty to investigate, uncover the truth, correct the wrongs, and realize justice."

Minister Jeong said, "I sympathize with the sense of loss and defeat felt by members of the prosecution, who are experiencing a virtual organizational collapse due to the misconduct of some political prosecutors. However, we must not remain here. We must empathize with the anger felt by the public and the suffering of those directly affected during the previous administration."

He went on to say that the Ministry of Justice and the prosecution must not repeat the mistake of 'delayed justice,' emphasizing, "We must confront and correct not only the wrongs committed by authoritarian regimes decades ago, but also the wrongs that have occurred right before our eyes. If there were wrongdoings in the past, they must be fully exposed and brought to an end."

Minister Jeong added, "No matter how painful, we must not forget that the pursuit of truth and the realization of justice are the prosecutor's duty and the very reason for the existence of the prosecution. The prosecution must be reborn as a true guardian of justice."

© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.