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Lee Sung-yoon, head of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, who will stand trial for allegedly abusing his power, has left an indelible blot on the law enforcement agency. On Wednesday, he was indicted on charges of exercising undue influence in 2019 to stop an investigation into a travel ban illegally imposed on a former ranking official.
It is shameful that Lee has become the first Seoul prosecution chief to be tried on criminal charges. Lee, then head of the anti-corruption team at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, is accused of pressuring prosecutors at the Suwon District Prosecutors' Office in June 2019 to halt their investigation into the travel ban involving former Vice Justice Minister Kim Hak-ui. In March that year, the authorities blocked Kim from heading overseas at Incheon International Airport as part of efforts to reinvestigate allegations that he received sexual favors arranged by a local businessman more than 10 years ago.
The case came to the fore in January this year when a whistleblower claimed that the justice ministry failed to follow due procedure in enforcing the travel ban on Kim. He also revealed that Lee called a senior investigator at the Suwon office and urged him to drop the case. Lee, however, has strongly denied the allegations. Right after his indictment, Lee said that he did not break the law, while vowing to prove his innocence in court.
Lee is, of course, entitled to the presumption of innocence until proven guilty. But he should not try to hide behind this legal protection without taking any responsibility for his alleged wrongdoing until the trial ends. Much to the disappointment of the public, he has made it clear that he has no intention of stepping down. If he has any qualms of conscience, he should resign voluntarily over his indictment.
Investigation results have proven that Lee did abuse his authority to cover up the travel ban case. A criminal review panel of outside experts recommended that Lee should be indicted for his alleged illegal acts. There can be no excuse for what he did. He should sincerely reflect on his misdeeds and apologize.
Certainly he is in no position to lead the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office. How can an indicted prosecutor continue to direct investigations into officials, politicians and business tycoons? Prosecutors as well as the public can no longer trust Lee. It is hard to give credit to any criminal investigations under his leadership. He should no longer damage the reputation and credibility of the prosecution.
Lee also has a bad track record of being loyal to the powers that be. He has been criticized for protecting key members of the ruling elite from criminal charges related to bribery, influence-peddling and election-rigging. He has damaged the prosecution's independence and political neutrality ― key elements required to uphold the rule of law. If he continues to hold his post, Justice Minister Park Beom-kye should at least suspend Lee from duty to ensure a fair and objective investigation. Regrettably, however, Park does not have the courage to do so, allowing Lee to continue serving as a “bullet-proof shield” for the Moon Jae-in government. What an embarrassment for, and a shame upon, law enforcement.