Political tit for tat continues between Cheon Wa Dae and Prosecution

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Political tit for tat continues between Cheon Wa Dae and Prosecution

By Kim Se-jeong

The Ministry of Justice ordered the Supreme Prosecutors Office, Friday, to seek its endorsement when launching a special investigation unit, the latest in a political tit for tat between Cheong Wa Dae and Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol.

In an announcement, the ministry said, "Minister Choo Mi-ae told the Supreme Prosecutors Office that it could only create a special investigation team when it was really necessary and it needs an approval from the minister."

Earlier Friday, the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office conducted a search and seizure operation at Cheong Wa Dae as part of its investigation into election-meddling allegations that benefited the current Ulsan mayor, a close confidant of President Moon Jae-in.

The prosecution said the raid was on the unit of an office that administers provincial government policies in relation to the election in Ulsan.

The move came two days after Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae announced she would replace the prosecutor, who had been overseeing the case for months, with a new one in a series of reassignments at the prosecution.

Many allege that Choo is attempting to hinder the investigation ― with the support of Cheong Wa Dae ― and render Supreme Prosecutor Yoon powerless.

The raid had the goal of securing evidence on whether Cheong Wa Dae helped Ulsan Mayor Song Cheol-ho win the June 2018 election by sabotaging the campaign of the incumbent, Mayor Kim Gi-hyeon.

Friday was the last day to collect evidence because the reassignments will go into effect Monday.

Local news reports said the search and seizure was "political revenge" by Yoon.

The investigation was started after former Mayor Kim alleged his office was raided just before the election by the Ulsan Metropolitan Police Agency over spurious bribery allegations made by Cheong Wa Dae.

Kim claimed the raid involving his confidants was initiated by Vice Mayor Song Byung-gi to damage his image before the election.

Yoon was sworn in as top prosecutor in July last year, with the support of the presidential office. But the two were soon at odds with each other after he began a series of corruption investigations involving close aides of President Moon, one of which was into Cho Kuk, the former justice minister, and his family members.

When Choo was sworn in as justice minister earlier this month, her alleged top priority was to make Yoon powerless and that was done Wednesday. Critics said Choo and Cheong Wa Dae want Yoon out of the post and the reassignment was to pressure him into resigning.

https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/nation/2020/01/356_281714.html

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Many allege that Choo is attempting to hinder the investigation ― with the support of Cheong Wa Dae ― and render Supreme Prosecutor Yoon powerless.