Triple special prosecutors set sail on sweeping Yoon-era probe
Three separate special prosecutor teams have swung into action simultaneously, targeting allegations against former President Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife, as well as the death of a Marine during Yoon’s administration.
The passage and promulgation of the bills, and the nomination and subsequent appointments of special prosecutors was completed in an unusually short time — just eight days.
Several bills to set up special probes of Yoon and his wife were passed in the National Assembly before Lee began his presidency on June 4, but they were consistently vetoed by the previous conservative administration over the limitations on the choice of prosecutor.
Lee appointed three prosecutors to conduct independent special counsel probes on Thursday night: Cho Eun-suk, former acting chief of the Board of Audit and Inspection; Min Joong-ki, former chief prosecutor of the Seoul Central District Court; and Lee Myeong-hyeon, a former senior official at the Defense Ministry’s prosecutors’ office.
According to the presidential office, the special prosecutors will investigate major controversies, including Yoon’s alleged insurrection and treason, interference with a military investigation into the death of a marine and multiple suspicions against Yoon's wife, including the interference in the People Power Party’s nomination of candidates for a National Assembly seat.
It is the first time in South Korea's history that three special prosecutor probes are being launched at once. Two special counsel probes — into allegations of a Samsung slush fund and a scandal surrounding the investment firm BBK — were conducted simultaneously in 2007.
Three special probes will have up to 20 days to form their investigation teams by appointing assistant special prosecutors, dispatching different prosecutors and investigators, and setting up the special probe office.
Cho, who was named as the special prosecutor in charge of investigating the insurrection case, is set to look into whether Yoon’s botched martial law declaration would constitute treason as well as insurrection.
Cho is expected to examine whether Yoon allegedly attempted to instigate an armed conflict with North Korea and subvert the Constitution with the martial law declaration in December.
“We will do our utmost to ensure that the efforts made by the police’s National Office of Investigation, the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials and the prosecution who have dedicated themselves to the investigation, are not in vain,” Cho said in an official statement Friday.
Cho added that he would carefully carry out his duty as the special prosecutor, guided solely by the logic of the investigation.
Cho previously led the joint investigation into the Sewol ferry disaster as the chief of the criminal division at the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office in 2014. Under the Moon Jae-in administration, he served as the chief of the Seoul High Prosecutors’ Office and director of the Institute of Justice.
But he came into conflict with Yoon’s government after criticizing a targeted audit against Jeon Hyun-heui, former chairperson of the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission and the Board of Audit and Inspection of Korea’s findings over the alleged corruption at the presidential residence as insufficient
Min will look into allegations surrounding former first lady Kim Keon Hee, including stock price manipulation, acceptance of a luxury bag and interference in Assembly election nominations.
“I understand that the cases have raised many questions by the public. I believe my task is to thoroughly examine the facts and key issues. Given that they have been major controversy, I believe the cases should be approached with objectivity,” Min was quoted as saying by local media outlet Yonhap.
Min is a former member of the progressive judicial group Lawyers for a Democratic Society, more widely known by the Korean acronym Minbyun. He previously conducted the investigation into the aalleged blacklisting of judges deemed critical of the nation’s judicial leadership.
Min reportedly explained that he cannot share any investigative priorities among the suspicions raised against Kim as he did not expect to be appointed as the special prosecutor, but that he fully grasped the matter.
Special prosecutor Lee, a former military prosecutor, will probe Yoon’s alleged interference with the investigation into the death of Cpl. Chae Su-geun.
“Regardless of any outside pressure or interference, I will uncover the truth behind the unjust death,” Lee said Friday.
According to the Democratic Party, Yoon tried to hinder the investigation into Lim Seong-geun, the then-commander of the deceased Marine’s division, for possible negligence or other wrongdoing in Chae’s death.
Lee, who investigated allegation of illegal draft-dodging by the son of Rep. Lee Hoi-chang — a political bigwig who was considered a conservative party’s presidential front-runner in 1997 and 2002 election, vowed to carry out the probe with conviction and dedication.
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