Prosecutor investigator pushes back against lawmaker's warning to prosecutors
Translated from Korean, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.
At a glance
- A prosecutor investigator has responded to a Democratic Party lawmaker's remarks criticizing prosecutors over a legal amendment.
- The investigator stated that most ordinary prosecutors have not engaged in wrongdoing.
- The lawmaker had warned prosecutors against opposing the amendment, suggesting they should wait until retirement to voice dissent.
A prosecutor investigator has publicly refuted remarks made by Democratic Party lawmaker Kim Yong-min, who criticized prosecutors regarding a pending legal amendment. The investigator asserted that the vast majority of ordinary prosecutors have not committed any offenses warranting criticism.
The controversy began when Kim Yong-min posted on social media, issuing a warning to prosecutors. He stated that those affiliated with the prosecution service should recognize themselves as administrative officials and diligently implement laws passed by the National Assembly. Kim further suggested that any objections to the law should be voiced after retirement and upon joining the opposition People Power Party.
Responding to Kim's comments on an internal prosecution service bulletin board, an investigator who joined the service in 2012 stated, 'Mr. Kim Yong-min, look here.' The investigator emphasized that out of approximately 7,000 prosecution officials, about 6,000 have acted without shame and have not done anything to warrant a warning from Kim. This exchange highlights a significant tension between the legislative branch and the prosecution service concerning legal reforms.
Originally published by Dong-A Ilbo in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.