Acting justice minister says ministry won't order charges against President Lee dropped
In short
South Korea's acting justice minister Lee Jin-su (이진수) told a parliamentary audit on October 8 that the Justice Ministry has no intention of ordering prosecutors to withdraw indictments in President Lee Jae-myung's criminal cases. He said he would not direct such a withdrawal while serving as acting minister. He added that a ministry committee reviewing 19 past prosecutions has not fixed any conclusion in advance.
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Lee Jin-su (이진수), South Korea's vice justice minister and acting minister, said on October 8 that the Justice Ministry has no intention of ordering prosecutors to withdraw indictments in President Lee Jae-myung's criminal cases. Speaking at the National Assembly Legislation and Judiciary Committee's audit of the ministry in Seoul, he said former minister Chung Sung-ho (정성호) had made clear the ministry would not order a withdrawal through direction in a specific case. When People Power Party lawmaker Park Hyeong-su (박형수) asked whether he could promise not to direct a withdrawal at least while acting minister, he replied that he could. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
Park noted that the acting arrangement could last a long time after the nomination of Kim Seung-won (김승원) as minister fell through, according to Chosun Ilbo. Newsis reported that Park had argued a minister could still direct the head of the prosecution to withdraw charges in a specific case even if a clause is removed from the special counsel bill. [ 4 , 5 ]
Opposition lawmakers questioned the ministry's Prosecution Human Rights and Future Committee (검찰인권존중미래위원회) and its fact-finding team. Kwak Gyu-taek (곽규택) called the team an illegal body doing groundwork before a special counsel, Seoul Economic Daily reported. The acting minister said no conclusion had been set in advance, that the committee could give opinions based on facts it uncovers, and that follow-up steps would depend on their content. He said the body was set up under the minister's authority to direct and supervise prosecution affairs. Asked by Kim Min-jeon (김민전) whether reviewing cases on trial amounted to interference, he said it was not meant to disregard judicial procedure. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
The committee, launched in June, reviews alleged rights abuses and misuse of prosecutorial power. It is reviewing 19 cases, including the Ssangbangwool remittance to North Korea and the Daejang-dong and Wirye development cases. Seoul Economic Daily and Newsis said 8 relate to the president; Asia Economy and Chosun Ilbo cited 6 cases in which he was indicted. Asked about committee chair Jang Ju-young (장주영), who defended former president Moon Jae-in in a case under review, he said members would be excluded from related discussions. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
Lawmakers also raised remarks by acting prosecutor general Lee Jung-hyun (이정현) that the fact-finding results should be examined; the acting minister said these were made under a hypothetical condition. Chosun Ilbo reported he said jailed former Gyeonggi vice governor Lee Hwa-young (이화영), whose side publicly asked the president for parole on October 7, is not eligible for parole consideration, and that he had received no inquiries about it from the presidential office or ruling camp. [ 2 , 4 ]
Why it matters
Opposition People Power Party lawmakers argue that the ministry's prosecution review committee could lay the groundwork for dropping charges against the sitting president, several of whose cases are among those under review. The acting minister's pledge sets a public limit on ministry action while he holds the post, though he said follow-up steps would depend on what the committee finds.
Key facts
- Lee Jin-su, vice minister and acting justice minister, spoke at the National Assembly Legislation and Judiciary Committee's audit of the Justice Ministry on October 8. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- He said former minister Chung Sung-ho (정성호) had made clear the ministry had no intention of ordering an indictment withdrawn through direction in a specific case. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- Asked whether he could promise not to direct a withdrawal while serving as acting minister, he replied that he could. [ 4 , 5 ]
- He said the committee could give opinions based on facts it uncovers and that follow-up measures would depend on their content. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- The ministry's Prosecution Human Rights and Future Committee (검찰인권존중미래위원회), launched in June, is reviewing 19 cases. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- He said Lee Hwa-young (이화영), the jailed former Gyeonggi vice governor, is not eligible for parole consideration. [ 4 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- The acting minister said the ministry has no intention of ordering withdrawal of indictments through direction in specific cases, as former minister Chung Sung-ho had stated. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- He said he would not direct an indictment withdrawal while serving as acting minister. [ 4 , 5 ]
- He said the committee may issue opinions based on facts it finds, and that follow-up steps would depend on their content. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- The committee is reviewing 19 cases in total. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 5 ]
- He said the committee was set up as an independent body under the justice minister's authority to direct and supervise prosecution affairs. [ 1 , 3 ]
- He described acting prosecutor general Lee Jung-hyun's (이정현) remarks on reviewing the fact-finding results as speaking under a hypothetical condition. [ 2 , 4 ]
- He said committee members with a conflict of interest would be excluded when the related matters are discussed. [ 3 , 5 ]
- The committee was launched in June. [ 4 , 5 ]
Still unclear
- How many of the 19 cases concern the president. Seoul Economic Daily and Newsis say 8 are directly or indirectly related to him; Asia Economy and Chosun Ilbo cite 6 cases in which he was indicted.
- Which lawmaker's question drew the reference to Chung Sung-ho's position. Seoul Economic Daily ties it to Kwak Gyu-taek (곽규택); Yonhap, Asia Economy, Chosun Ilbo and Newsis tie it to Kim Min-jeon (김민전).
- Lee Jung-hyun's exact title. Yonhap describes him as acting prosecutor general and deputy head of the Public Prosecution Service; Chosun Ilbo says he is acting head of the Public Prosecution Service.
- When Lee Hwa-young becomes eligible for parole. Only Chosun Ilbo reports this; the acting minister said the date had not been calculated because two sentences are involved.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Seoul Economic Daily and Yonhap report the acting minister's remarks at the parliamentary audit. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Asia Economy reports his comments on the review committee and the conflict-of-interest issue. [ 3 ]
- Chosun Ilbo reports his pledge not to direct a withdrawal while acting minister and his remarks on Lee Hwa-young's parole. [ 4 ]
- Newsis reports he will not direct indictment withdrawals during the acting period. [ 5 ]