Ruling party chief calls for parliamentary inquiry into top prosecutor
Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl / Korea Times file
The head of the ruling Democratic Party (DP) said Wednesday that he was shocked by allegations against the nation's top prosecutor and ordered the party to consider pursuing a parliamentary inquiry into the matter.
In an unprecedented move, Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae on Tuesday suspended Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl from his duty, citing what she called an "improper" meeting with a media executive and the illegal inspection of judges involved in controversial cases, among other alleged misdeeds.
"The allegations revealed by the justice ministry are shocking," DP chief Rep. Lee Nak-yon said during a meeting of the party's Supreme Council. "I ask the party to review pushing for an inquiry by the National Assembly," he added.
Lee joined the meeting through a video link, as he has quarantined himself after an acquaintance he met last week tested positive for COVID-19.
Lee said the most shocking allegation was the illegal inspection of judges.
"It's been said that the Supreme Prosecutors Office played a key role in the research of key judges' traits, collection of their personal information and the dissemination (of such data)," Lee said.
The DP chief said that the prosecution proved that it was "still unaware of the gravity of the situation," in response to Yoon's statement that the suspension of duty was "unfair" and that he intended to take legal action.
"We have to uncover the truth of whether such anachronistic and dangerous practice still persists within the prosecution and root it out," Lee said.
Lee also asked the justice ministry to swiftly proceed with follow-up measures related to the allegations against Yoon. He also urged the top prosecutor to reach a decision on whether or not to hold on to his job "for the future of the prosecution." (Yonhap)