People Power Party names 3 for special prosecutor recommendation committee

South Korea's conservative People Power Party has put forward its three nominees for the National Election Commission's special prosecutor recommendation committee. The party announced the selections on August 5, aiming to contribute to the fair selection of a special prosecutor to investigate the election commission.

The nominated individuals are lawyers Kim Yong-kwan and Choi Chang-wook, along with Professor Cha Jin-ah of Korea University's Law School. The People Power Party stated that these candidates possess the "learning and virtue" required by the special prosecutor law, along with extensive experience in their respective fields. They were chosen for their combined legal, investigative, and constitutional expertise, deemed suitable for recommending an independent and impartial special prosecutor.

Kim Yong-kwan has a judicial background, having served as a judge at various levels, including the Seoul High Court and as chief judge at the Daejeon and Seoul Central District Courts. He currently practices law. Notably, he previously served as a legal representative for the then-ruling People Power Party during the Constitutional Court's impeachment trial of two prosecutors, Son Jun-seong and Lee Jeong-seop, in 2024.

Professor Cha Jin-ah, an expert in constitutional law, recently proposed a system for the election commission investigation, suggesting the abolition of early voting and a two-day period for in-person voting. Choi Chang-wook is a former prosecutor who held positions such as head of the investigation division for important economic crimes at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office and head of the same division at the Seoul Western District Prosecutors' Office. He also represented the current People Power Party lawmaker Lee Jin-sook, then chairperson of the Korea Communications Commission, in her impeachment trial before the Constitutional Court.

These three nominees will collaborate with three counterparts from the main opposition Democratic Party. Together, they will receive recommendations for special prosecutor candidates from the Korean Bar Association and the Association of Law School Professors. Ultimately, the ruling and opposition parties will agree on two candidates, one of whom will be appointed as the special prosecutor by President Lee Jae-myung.

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They possess the learning and virtue required by the special prosecutor law and have rich experience in various professional fields. With their fair judgment based on judicial experience, investigative expertise as former prosecutors, and the insights of constitutional law experts, they are the most suitable combination for recommending an independent and fair special prosecutor that the public can trust.