Presidential office fends off prosecution raid

Rep. Shim Sang-jung, chairwoman of the minor opposition Justice Party, talks to reporters during a visit to the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office, Sunday, to protest the prosecution’s handling of Choi Soon-sil, President Park Geun-hye’s scandal-ridden longtime confidant. Shim claimed the prosecution refused to apprehend Choi — who has returned to South Korea — to give her time to destroy evidence. There is speculation that the prosecution has delayed apprehending Choi to let her meet President Park first. / Yonhap

By Yi Whan-woo

The prosecution failed to raid the offices of scandal-ridden presidential aides at Cheong Wa Dae, Sunday, as the presidential office refused to let in a prosecution team with a court warrant, citing no precedent.

Instead, the presidential office handed over documents in paper boxes that the team asked for only after judging whether it is appropriate to allow such pieces of evidence to be taken from Cheong Wa Dae.

This triggered an outcry from opposition parties that the presidential office is attempting to destroy evidence to protect President Park Geun-hye.

The team had a search-and-seizure warrant to investigate a scandal surrounding the President's longtime confidant Choi Soon-sil.

The team from the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Offices received the documents at an auxiliary premise used by the presidential bodyguards beside Cheong Wa Dae.

The prosecution had planned to search the offices of senior presidential secretary for policy coordination Ahn Jong-beom and the President’s personal secretary Jeong Ho-seong.

Ahn is suspected of peddling influence for conglomerates to raise funds for the establishment of two non-profit foundations controlled by Choi, while Jeong allegedly sent her presidential documents, including speeches.

“Cheong Wa Dae deals with state security and it is stipulated by the law and also customary for Cheong Wa Dae to randomly decide what documents can be taken out of the presidential house,” a presidential official said on condition of anonymity.

Citing the Criminal Procedure Code, the official claimed that no one can search and seize security-sensitive sites unless given approval by the person in charge of the site.

“In that regard, the prosecution is carrying out its job faithfully,” the official said.

Calling Cheong Wa Dae’s denial, Saturday, “unconvincing,” the prosecution vowed to execute the warrant “properly” this time in searching the offices of Ahn and Jeong.

Speculation is rampant that the evidence that the prosecution received will not help much because Cheong Wa Dae “censored and excluded” those who can work against Ahn, Jeong and ultimately the President.

The opposition criticized Park and Cheong Wa Dae, claiming that they still are failing to cope with the public anger and distrust toward the government.

“Cheong Wa Dae is still refusing the prosecution’s search-and-seizure efforts,” said Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon, a member of the main opposition Democratic People of Korea (DPK). “It is failing to listen to the angry cries of the people. I really want to join hands with them and ask the President to step down.”

DPK Chairwoman Rep. Choo Mi-ae raised suspicions that the prosecution is defending Choi. She cited rumors that an investigating officer from the prosecution accompanied Choi when she arrived at Incheon International Airport, Sunday, after arriving from Germany. The prosecution also did not immediately arrest Choi in line with her request for time to rest.

“The prosecution should stop its theatrics and pretending as if it is sincerely looking into the case,” Choo commented on Facebook. “I wondered whether the prosecution colluded in hiding Choi when I heard an investigator from the prosecution accompanied her.”