Justice Ministry audit starts an hour late after parties clash over speaking rights
In short
The National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee began its October 8 audit of South Korea's Justice Ministry about an hour late, after ruling and opposition members clashed over the chair's suspension of an opposition member's speaking rights two days earlier, SBS reported. Vice Justice Minister Lee Jin-soo (이진수) gave the ministry's report as acting minister. The parties were expected to clash over the new Office of Public Prosecution (공소청), launched on October 2, and over whether indictments in cases involving President Lee Jae-myung could be cancelled.
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The National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee began its audit of the Justice Ministry on October 8 about an hour after its scheduled 10:00 start, SBS reported. Ruling and opposition members clashed over a decision by committee chair Seo Young-kyo at the Supreme Court audit two days earlier to suspend the speaking rights of an opposition member. The audit at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, also covers three public agencies affiliated with the ministry. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
Park Hyung-soo (박형수) of the People Power Party said Park Eun-jung (박은정) had told Kim Tae-kyu (김태규) to "become a human" and Kim Yong-min (김용민) had added that he had "never once been human", yet only Kim Tae-kyu's speaking rights were suspended. Kim Yong-min of the Democratic Party said Kim Tae-kyu had kept sneering and began criticising and mocking the late former president Roh Moo-hyun, and had no right to sit or speak there. [ 4 ]
With the justice minister post vacant, Vice Justice Minister Lee Jin-soo attended as acting minister and delivered the ministry's report. He said that after the launch of the Office of Public Prosecution the ministry would prepare ways for prosecutors and investigative agencies to cooperate so that public protection is not neglected, and would keep checking how the system operates. [ 4 ]
Newsis reported before the audit that the Democratic Party planned to present the separation of investigation and indictment and the abolition of the Prosecutors' Office as achievements, and to argue that prosecutors had fabricated indictments in cases including President Lee's. The People Power Party was expected to call the abolition a change for the worse and to argue that President Lee could seek the cancellation of indictments in his own cases. Party chief spokesman Park Choong-kwon (박충권) said the acting heads of the Office of Public Prosecution and the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency attending a cabinet meeting amounted to "taming of power". [ 2 ]
The Office of Public Prosecution launched on October 2, but Newsis reported that no nominee to head it had been named. Lawmakers were also expected to ask about confusion from changes to the criminal justice information system, cuts in prosecutor numbers and staff redeployment. [ 2 , 3 ]
A Justice Ministry committee on prosecution human rights is reviewing whether investigations and indictments were proper in seven first-round cases, including the Daejang-dong development case and the Ssangbangwool remittance to North Korea, with 12 more cases about to be assigned, Newsis reported. Acting Prosecutor General Lee Jung-hyun (이정현), asked on his first day whether indictments in President Lee's cases would be cancelled, said the results of the review had to be examined. [ 3 ]
Why it matters
Lawmakers were expected to examine how the Office of Public Prosecution is operating after its October 2 launch, while both the justice minister post and the head of the new office are vacant. The People Power Party argues President Lee could seek the cancellation of indictments in his own cases; the Democratic Party argues prosecutors fabricated indictments in cases including his.
Key facts
- The Legislation and Judiciary Committee's audit of the Justice Ministry and three affiliated public agencies was scheduled for 10:00 on October 8 at the National Assembly. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- The audit began about an hour late after members clashed over committee chair Seo Young-kyo (서영교) suspending an opposition member's speaking rights at the Supreme Court audit two days earlier. [ 4 ]
- Vice Justice Minister Lee Jin-soo attended as acting minister because the justice minister post is vacant. [ 4 ]
- The Office of Public Prosecution launched on October 2 following the abolition of the Prosecutors' Office. [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- As of October 8 no nominee had been named to head the Office of Public Prosecution, Newsis reported. [ 2 ]
- A Justice Ministry committee on prosecution human rights is reviewing seven first-round cases, including the Daejang-dong and Ssangbangwool North Korea remittance cases, with 12 second-round cases about to be assigned. [ 3 ]
- People Power Party chief spokesman Park Choong-kwon (박충권) called the attendance of the acting heads of the Office of Public Prosecution and the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency at a cabinet meeting "taming of power". [ 2 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- The Justice Ministry audit was set to begin at 10:00 on October 8 at the National Assembly. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- The Office of Public Prosecution launched on October 2. [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- The justice minister post is vacant. [ 3 , 4 ]
- The ruling and opposition parties were expected to clash over the abolition of the Prosecutors' Office and the possible cancellation of indictments in cases involving President Lee Jae-myung. [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]
Still unclear
- Whether indictments in cases involving President Lee will be cancelled. Acting Prosecutor General Lee Jung-hyun (이정현) said the results of the fact-finding review had to be examined first, Newsis reported; no decision is reported.
- Who will head the Office of Public Prosecution. Newsis reported no nominee had been named as of October 8.
- What was said during the substantive part of the audit. The only report published after the audit began covers its delayed start and the vice minister's opening report.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Yonhap lists the Justice Ministry audit in its schedule of the day's parliamentary audits. [ 1 ]
- Newsis publishes previews expecting a clash over the prosecution overhaul and President Lee's cases. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Scheduled start of the audit; it begins about an hour late after a dispute over the chair's suspension of an opposition member's speaking rights. [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- SBS reports the delayed start and Vice Justice Minister Lee Jin-soo's report as acting minister. [ 4 ]