Scholars launch group in support of former top prosecutor
Scholars and critics participate in a forum organized by a group of experts in support of former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl, at Korea Press Center in central Seoul, Friday. Yonhap
By Kim Rahn
Dozens of academic and legal experts have launched an organization to support former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl, who is said to be a leading potential presidential contender from the opposition bloc.
While many ruling and opposition presidential hopefuls have been launching think tanks or support groups ahead of the presidential election slated for next March, Yoon has maintained a low profile despite his lead in public opinion polls. It remains to be seen whether the support organization will facilitate his political activity.
The group, whose Korean name can be roughly translated into “national coalition for recovery of fairness and common sense,” held a forum in Seoul as an inaugural event, Friday, to discuss Yoon's “potential and limitations for presidency.”
Seoul National University professor emeritus and former International Criminal Court President Song Sang-hyun, who was one of Yoon's teachers in university, said during a congratulatory speech at the forum that populist politicians believe they are the only people having moral superiority.
“When populists take power, they come up with a topic of reform, distort or belittle democratic procedure under the name of reform, and try to remodel the state according to their own ideal,” Song said.
He said populists in power “suppress media, civic groups and political parties that are critical of them” and “fix the prosecution, the judiciary and intelligence agency.”
These comments seem to criticize the Moon Jae-in administration's push for prosecutorial reform, over which Yoon has been at odds with key Moon aides, including former Justice Ministers Cho Kuk and Choo Mi-ae. Yoon resigned from the top prosecutor position in March following a series of conflicts with them over the reform measures and the prosecution's investigation into key ruling bloc figures such as Cho.
Yoon has not taken any steps signaling a shift to a political career since his resignation, but he has reportedly had meetings with professors and experts in various fields, such as labor, welfare, security and economy, at least once a week ― a move which many say indicates he is laying the groundwork to prepare campaign pledges for a presidential bid.