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[Herald Economy=Reporter Kim Young-chul] The Democratic Party of Korea’s planned “state inquiry into alleged fabricated indictments by prosecutors during the Yoon Suk Yeol administration” is expected to continue through early May after lawmakers moved the investigative plan into plenary consideration on the 21st. The People Power Party denounced the probe as an effort to clear President Lee Jae-myung’s record and launched a filibuster, but the Democratic Party — which holds a commanding majority — intends to end debate on the 22nd and adopt the plan.
At the plenary session that day, the National Assembly tabled the investigative plan submitted by the “Special Committee for a State Probe into Alleged Fabricated Indictments by the Political Prosecution of the Yoon Suk Yeol Administration.”
Under the plan, the inquiry will examine prosecutors’ investigations and indictments in a series of high-profile cases, including: ▷allegations of corruption related to the Daejang-dong development project ▷allegations of corruption in the development of Wirye New Town ▷allegations that former deputy director Kim Yong of the Minjoo Research Institute accepted bribes ▷the Ssangbangwool remittances-to-North-Korea case ▷allegations of manipulated statistics, including in the real-estate sector ▷the West Sea official shooting case ▷allegations of false reporting intended to defame former President Yoon Suk Yeol, among others.
The plan states the probe’s purpose is “to determine whether the political prosecution under the Yoon Suk Yeol administration carried out fabricated investigations and indictments targeting opposition figures, political rivals, former government officials and journalists.”
It also directs investigators to examine alleged organized involvement and case planning by the prosecution, the Justice Ministry and the presidential office, and to investigate claims that state agencies downplayed, concealed or manipulated information during investigations and prosecutions. The inquiry is set to run 50 days, through May 8 — 26 days before the local elections.
The list of institutions to be investigated includes courts such as the Supreme Court, Seoul High Court, Suwon High Court, Seoul Central District Court, Suwon District Court and the Suwon District Court’s Seongnam branch. The Justice Ministry, Supreme Prosecutors’ Office, the Seoul and Suwon high prosecutors’ offices, the Seoul Central, Seoul Southern and Suwon prosecutors’ offices (including Suwon’s Seongnam branch), the Daejeon Prosecutors’ Office and the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials are also named.
Government and public agencies on the list include the Board of Audit and Inspection, the Unification Ministry, the Defense Ministry, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, the Financial Services Commission, the National Intelligence Service, Korea Land & Housing Corporation (LH) and the Seongnam Urban Development Corporation. About 10 companies, including Ssangbangwool and Hoban Construction, are also expected to be investigated.
The People Power Party says it joined the special committee to prevent a unilateral probe by the Democratic Party but remains opposed to the investigation itself.
It has labeled the inquiry “not an investigation of fabricated indictments but a state probe intended to wipe clean President Lee Jae-myung’s alleged crimes,” arguing the effort is effectively a procedure to nullify prosecutions against the president.
The party also contends the probe violates the State Audit and Inspection Act, citing Article 8, which prohibits parliamentary audits and investigations from being used to interfere with ongoing trials or investigations.
Accordingly, the People Power Party launched a filibuster immediately after the plan was tabled. Democratic lawmakers expect to end debate 24 hours after it begins and to vote to approve the plan on the 22nd.
After the National Assembly approves the investigative plan, the ruling bloc led by the Democratic Party is expected to move quickly to vote on fast-tracking a special law to support RE100 (100 percent renewable energy) industrial parks.
Designating the bill for fast-track consideration requires the approval of at least three-fifths of all Assembly members. The People Power Party opposes the designation but has said it will not filibuster that measure.
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