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People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyuk, floor leader Song Eon-seok and other lawmakers and party officials chant slogans during a rally in front of the Ministry of Justice in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province, on November 18, calling for the resignation of Justice Minister Jung Sung-ho over alleged pressure to drop an appeal in the Daejang-dong case. / Source: Yonhap News

The People Power Party (PPP) on November 18 returned to the Ministry of Justice just one week after its last visit, calling for the resignations of Justice Minister Jung Sung-ho and Vice Minister Lee Jin-soo. The move came a day after a protest in front of the presidential office, marking the party’s second straight off-site rally.

PPP leader Jang Dong-hyuk, speaking at a press conference titled “Rally calling for Justice Minister Jung Sung-ho’s resignation over alleged pressure to drop the Daejang-dong appeal,” held outside the ministry in Gwacheon that morning, declared, “We are standing at the very epicenter of the ‘Daejang-dong appeal-withdrawal gate.’” He went on to say that Jung and Lee are “themselves guilty of another act of breach of trust, having handed 740 billion won in profits to criminals.”

Jang argued that “Minister Jung repeatedly pressured the prosecutors in charge to ‘deliberate more carefully,’ while Vice Minister Lee drew his sword in the form of directing the investigation,” calling this “a clear abuse of power.”

He added, “Minister Jung and Vice Minister Lee have now gone down in history as the worst justice minister and vice minister this country has ever seen,” insisting that “instead of giving up the appeal, they should have given up their authority to direct investigations in the first place.”

Jang urged them to “step down immediately if they have even a shred of shame,” and said, “If this was truly something they can defend with heads held high, then they should accept a parliamentary investigation and special counsel right away.”

Both the ruling and opposition parties have been calling for a parliamentary probe, but differences over the format and scope have yet to be bridged. A third round of negotiations is scheduled for the afternoon of November 18. The ruling party has proposed conducting the probe under the National Assembly’s Legislation and Judiciary Committee, but the PPP argues such an inquiry would be “meaningless” if carried out in a committee where the ruling party holds the reins.

PPP floor leader Song Eon-seok again pressed the ruling camp to agree to a separate special committee for a parliamentary investigation, saying the full truth behind the scandal must be brought to light.

Song claimed that “Justice Minister Jung, described as President Lee Jae-myung’s closest ‘kkangbu’ ally, and Vice Minister Lee are precisely the ones who exerted pressure to drop the appeal” and argued that “the decision to forgo an appeal, which handed 780 billion won in criminal proceeds straight back to the Daejang-dong cartel, absolutely must be investigated and explained.”

He further alleged that “after exerting pressure to abandon the appeal, they got together for a fried chicken and beer party,” adding, “They held a chicken-and-beer party after gifting 780 billion won in criminal proceeds—money that should have been restored to the people—back to the criminals, who are now reveling in their windfall. The public is pounding the ground in frustration.”

Concluding his remarks, Song said, “The Justice Ministry under Minister Jung has become a ministry that shields criminals,” vowing, “Together with the people, we will get to the bottom of the truth behind the pressure to drop the appeal. A special parliamentary inquiry committee must be formed.”