People Power Party leader: Special prosecutor, election rerun prioritized over inquiry

The leader of the People Power Party has asserted that a special prosecutor investigation and a rerun election should be prioritized over a parliamentary inquiry into the recent ballot shortage incident that marred the local elections.

Jang Dong-hyuk stated on July 8th that a special prosecutor investigation is more appropriate than a parliamentary probe, and a rerun election is even more critical. This stance comes as the Democratic Party has proposed a parliamentary investigation into the matter.

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A joint investigation by the prosecution and police is a get-out-of-jail-free card for the Central Election Commission.

Jang specifically criticized President Lee Jae-myung's directive to form a joint investigation team comprising the prosecution and police. He dismissed this as a "get-out-of-jail-free card" for the Central Election Commission, implying it was an attempt to shield the commission from accountability. Jang argued that mobilizing the prosecution, with only four months remaining in its term, to conduct a swift investigation is nonsensical and amounts to an order not to investigate thoroughly.

He further suggested that the joint investigation team's formation, ahead of a potential parliamentary inquiry, is a tactic to allow officials to claim "it's difficult to answer as the matter is under investigation" during the inquiry. Jang characterized this as a "ploy" to neutralize the parliamentary investigation and evade a special prosecutor's probe.

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Mobilizing the prosecution, with only four months left in its term, to conduct a swift investigation is nonsensical and amounts to an order not to investigate thoroughly.

"The moment a joint investigation team was mentioned, it was as good as the president issuing a directive on the investigation," Jang claimed. He insisted that the only viable path forward is a special prosecutor investigation. However, he stressed that it must be a "proper special prosecutor" recommended by the People Power Party, not one influenced by the Democratic Party or the Cho Kuk Innovation Party.

Jang challenged the Democratic Party, which frequently calls for special prosecutor investigations, to explain why they would refuse one in this instance, given their past actions. The call for a special prosecutor and a potential election rerun underscores the deep political divisions and mistrust surrounding the handling of the ballot shortage issue.

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The moment a joint investigation team was mentioned, it was as good as the president issuing a directive on the investigation. We have no choice but to go with a special prosecutor.