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| People Power Party Chairman Lee Jun-seok, right, speaks during a party meeting at the National Assembly, Thursday. The backdrop reads "The one who refuses a special probe is the culprit," referring to a land development scandal in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, which is suspected to involve Democratic Party of Korea presidential contender Lee Jae-myung. Joint Press Corps |
By Nam Hyun-woo
The main opposition People Power Party (PPP) is escalating its demands for an independent counsel's investigation into a land development scandal in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, targeting Lee Jae-myung, the leading presidential contender of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK).
Lee was mayor of the city in 2015 when the development project was initiated.
However, the chances of this taking place appear slim, as it requires either an agreement with the DPK, which holds a super-majority in the National Assembly, or with President Moon Jae-in. The DPK is refusing to discuss appointing a special counsel, while Moon is striving to keep a neutral stance in order to avoid making comments that could affect the presidential election next year.
PPP Chairman Lee Jun-seok stressed the need for the independent investigation and urged members of the DPK to join the opposition's demand for it.
"The DPK will face a public uproar if it remains passive in investigating the scandal," he said, urging DPK members with "a conscience" to join his party's demand for the probe.
The PPP has been calling for an investigation into the 2015 land development project in Daejang-dong in Seongnam, which is facing mounting questions and suspicions over how a newly established small asset management firm, Hwacheon Daeyu, raked in massive profits ― more than 1,000 times its investment. The suspicions are focused on a dividend structure that was devised after the company was selected by Seongnam Development Corp. to run the project the day after it submitted a bid.
"The public remains suspicious about the relationship between Lee Jae-myung and Hwacheon Daeyu," the PPP head said.
A special counsel is appointed to investigate cases where political neutrality is of the utmost importance.
Since 1999, when Korea first introduced this system, there have been 13 cases investigated by independent counsels. Twelve of the probes were launched after respective special bills on each case were proposed and passed at the National Assembly, while the remaining one was launched into the 2014 Sewol ferry disaster after the Assembly agreed to it without a bill specifically for the case according to the Act on the Appointment of a Special Counsel.
To launch an investigation by an independent counsel into the Seongnam scandal, the PPP and the minor opposition People Party tabled a bill specifically targeting the scandal Sept. 24. But the possibility of this happening is small given that the ruling DPK has 168 seats in the 300-seat Assembly to the PPP's 103.
Without the bill, it is still possible to seek an investigation under the Special Counsel Act. This allows for the appointment of a special counsel without a separate bill on a case if the Assembly approves it in a plenary vote. It is also possible if the justice minister orders an investigation, as the act states they can do so if the case involves "a conflict of interest," meaning a potential situation in which prosecutors would have to investigate prosecutors.
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| Minister of Justice Park Beom-kye speaks during a National Assembly audit session in Seoul, Tuesday. Joint Press Corps |
The PPP claims the land development scandal involves a conflict of interest because a number of former high-profile prosecutors, including former special counsel Park Young-soo who investigated the impeached former President Park Geun-hye's corruption case, are involved, thus the current investigation of the case by the prosecution could be influenced by them.
However, Minister of Justice Park Beom-kye said Tuesday, "The prosecution appears to have a strong commitment to finding the truth," and, "There is no need to have doubt on the neutrality of the current investigators." Park added that "even if the DPK and the PPP pass the bill, it will take too long to appoint a special counsel, form an investigation team and carry out the actual investigation."
If a special counsel's team is organized, the team can carry out an investigation for up to 120 days ― most former counsels used the full period. Given the time required for procedures at the Assembly, the chance is high that any result would come out immediately before the March 9 presidential election, which could have a huge effect on it.
President Moon's effort to maintain political neutrality on the issue ahead of the presidential election is also, therefore, lowering the chances of any independent investigation taking place.
A senior official at Cheong Wa Dae said Thursday, "The office is seriously monitoring this issue," but refused to elaborate further.
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