DPK proposes impeachment motion against prosecutors involved in probe into ex-party leader
Lawmakers of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) submit a motion to impeach prosecutors involved in corruption investigations into former party leader Lee Jae-myung at the National Assembly in Seoul, July 2. Yonhap
The main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) proposed a motion Tuesday to impeach four prosecutors, including those involved in corruption investigations into former party leader Lee Jae-myung.
The DPK reported the motion to the plenary session of the National Assembly despite opposition from the ruling People Power Party. It will be reviewed by the Legislation and Judiciary Committee.
The prosecutors have been leading investigations into various corruption allegations against Lee, including a scandal involving underwear manufacturer Ssangbangwool Group's alleged illegal remittance to North Korea as well as bribery and other charges from his tenure as the mayor of Seongnam, south of Seoul, from 2014 to 2018.
Uhm Hee-joon of the Incheon District Prosecutors' Office and Kang Baek-shin of the Suwon District Prosecutors' Office have led investigations into Lee's corruption allegations surrounding development projects, while Park Sang-yong of the Suwon District Prosecutors' Office has been looking into the North Korea remittance case.
The DPK has accused the prosecution of attempting to fabricate evidence to implicate Lee.
Kim Young-cheol, a senior prosecutor of the Seoul Northern District Prosecutors' Office, was accused of engaging in shady deals in the influence-peddling case involving former President Park Geun-hye.
Rep. Min Hyung-bae said the DPK will continue to push for impeachment of prosecutors if illegal acts are discovered in the investigation process.
The presidential office accused the DPK of abusing its legislative power to protect its former leader.
"The push to impeach prosecutors involved in investigations into Lee Jae-myung is ultimately seen as the DP's move to sway the ongoing probe in the way it wants," a senior presidential official told reporters.
Prosecutor General Lee One-seok also strongly denounced the impeachment motion.
"It amounts to saying that Chairman Lee, the defendant, would try himself as a presiding judge," the top prosecutor said, adding that the move is unconstitutional and illegal interference with judicial procedures.
He emphasized that such power abuse by lawmakers could constitute grounds for their own impeachment, if the Constitution had allowed impeachment of lawmakers.
"It amounts to making it impossible to investigate and try powerful Chairman Lee Jae-myung and helping him avoid criminal punishment," he said.
The DPK has a controlling majority with 171 seats in the 300-member parliament.
Last week, Lee stepped down as DPK chairman in preparation for seeking another term as party leader in a national convention set for August.
Lee, who narrowly lost the 2022 presidential vote to President Yoon Suk Yeol, is considered a leading candidate for the liberal party for the next election slated for 2027.
If Lee is convicted of any crime and receives a sentence of imprisonment, he will not be allowed to run in the next presidential election. (Yonhap)