DP says prosecution’s probe into DP lawmaker “political retaliation”

Jun 16, 2022, 09:31 am

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DP lawmaker Rep. Park Sang-hyuk asks to by-then Gyeonggi Gov. Lee Jae-myung during an audit of Gyeonggi Government by the National Assembly’s Public Administration and Security Committee at the Gyeonggi provincial government office in Suwon, south of Seoul, on Oct. 20, 2021./ Source: Joint Press Corps

AsiaToday reporters Jeong Geum-min & Kim Hyun-goo

The main opposition Democratic Party (DP) strongly opposed the prosecution’s recent speedy investigation into what is dubbed the “industry ministry blacklist” case, calling it a “retaliatory investigation against the previous Moon Jae-in administration.” In particular, the main opposition party said it would set up a response body within the party, claiming that it is just a matter that has been repeated during regime change. Political observers that the DP hinted a strong response as the prosecution’s investigation is aimed at an incumbent member of its party.

“As everyone expected, the Yoon Suk-yeol regime appointed the president’s closest aide Han Dong-hoon as justice minister and started a retaliatory investigation,“ Rep. Woo Sang-ho, DP’s interim leader, said during an emergency planning committee meeting held at the National Assembly on Wednesday. “There was also a political retaliatory investigation under the Lee Myung-back administration. But such retaliatory investigation fails inevitably and leads to the downfall of the government,” he said. “The Democratic Party will not stand by in this type of political retaliation. We will continue to raise issues and check them by creating a response body.”

His remarks came after the prosecution announced an investigation into DP lawmaker Rep. Park Sang-hyuk as a reference in connection with the blacklist allegations. Park is suspected of being involved in the midway resignation of the head of a public corporation under the industry ministry between 2017 and 2018, while serving as the executive officer of the Blue House’s senior personnel office. Prosecutors believe that Rep. Park played the role of a bridge between the Blue House and the industry. They are reportedly considering whether to convert him into a suspect while calling him as a reference for investigation.

“On June 7, the prosecution requested me an investigation as a witness in regards to the case involving a former industry minister,” Rep. Park wrote on his Facebook. “However, a specific media outlet designated me as the target of the investigation in the form of an exclusive report. As a member of the National Assembly, I will respond faithfully to the legislative activities given to me.”

However, the ruling People Power Party took the prosecution’s side, saying that it is an “investigation in accordance with the law and principles.” PPP floor leader Kwon Seong-dong told reporters after a party-government meeting at the National Assembly that the DP is seemingly trying to gain reflective benefits by framing an investigation that the prosecution normally conducts in accordance with the law and principles as political retaliation. “I would like to ask Rep. Woo whether the investigation into corruption in the first two years of the Moon Jae-in administration was political retaliation,” Kwon said. “This case is the same as the environment ministry blacklist case.”

“This investigation has already started under the Moon Jae-in administration,” said PPP deputy floor leader Song Eon-seog. “I believe it is completely wrong to frame an investigative body enforcing the law normally as political retaliation.”

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