Justice minister, chief prosecutor at odds over Shincheonji investigation

Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae attends a cabinet meeting in Seoul, Thursday. She ordered the prosecution to issue a search warrant for the Shincheonji Church of Jesus. / Yonhap

By Kim Se-jeong

Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae and chief prosecutor Yoon Seok-youl are at odds over an investigation into the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, which is viewed as the "culprit" for the exponential increase of coronavirus cases in Korea.

While Minister Choo is pushing Yoon to request a search warrant for the sect's offices, Yoon is taking his time.

On Wednesday, the Daegu District Prosecution's Office refused to ask a court for a search warrant filed for by the local police, for the second time following a similar filing Monday. Last month, the Daegu Metropolitan Government filed a criminal investigation request against the sect.

"It's yet unclear whether the sect deliberately didn't submit a full list of its members. We need more time to decide if a search is really necessary," the prosecution was quoted as to why it didn't request the warrant.

On Monday, Choo ordered the prosecution to consider the option, and pushed the prosecution again Wednesday.

Those who want Shincheonji to be scrutinized believe the sect was deliberately slow in handing out a full list of its members and then omitted many names, slowing down the government's critical quarantine measures.

According to a recent survey, 86 percent of respondents wanted the prosecution to investigate the sect.

Last week, Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon filed for a criminal investigation against the sect's founder, Lee Man-hee, accusing him of committing homicide through willful negligence. Also, a group of former Shincheonji members did the same, demanding that Lee be detained.

Fights between Choo and Yoon are not new.

Over the last few months, the two have been at odds over "prosecutorial reform" undertaken by Choo on behalf of President Moon Jae-in.

Although Yoon was appointed by Moon, the chief prosecutor is now viewed as a "spoiler" for investigating corruption cases involving the President's aides. Choo is seeking to weaken Yoon and the prosecution's power by reassigning prosecutors and introducing new rules that would make the job of the prosecution more difficult.

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