Subscribe
E-Paper
 |
| Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae answers questions raised by lawmakers at the Legislation and Judiciary Committee session at the National Assembly in Seoul, Wednesday. /Yonhap |
By Bahk Eun-ji
Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae wielded her authority Thursday over a high-profile investigation into the alleged collusion between a senior prosecutor and cable TV news outlet, ordering Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl to halt the creation of an expert advisory panel.
This was the first time in 15 years that a justice minister has ordered an investigation by a prosecutor general since Chun Jung-bae did so in 2005.
Choo sent an official document to the prosecution, saying rushing to reach a conclusion through a controversial review by a professional advisory group could interfere with the investigation.
The minister also ordered the investigation team of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office to independently probe the case without being commanded or supervised by senior prosecutors, including the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, and then report the results of the investigation to the prosecutor general, in order to ensure a fair and stringent investigation.
Choo judged that Yoon pushed ahead with the formation of the advisory group, despite the Supreme Prosecutors' Office's failure to reach a conclusion.
"The Supreme Prosecutors' Office delivered the prosecutor general's order to investigate the case without reporting to senior prosecutors last month," Choo said.
"As a result, even senior prosecutors of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office didn't reach a conclusion whether to seek an arrest warrant for Lee Dong-jae, a Channel A reporter, June 19; Yoon decided to convene an investigation advisory group against his own order, and even completed the process of selecting the nine members for the advisory group."
Seoul district prosecutors have been investigating allegations that the Channel A reporter had plotted with Han Dong-hoon, a senior prosecutor and a close ally of Yoon, to blackmail a businessman over his accusations against Rhyu Si-min, a liberal pundit with close ties to the Moon Jae-in administration.
Han, who previously served as the head of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office's anti-corruption department, is also undergoing a separate internal investigation by the justice ministry. Han has consistently denied his involvement.
Last month, the reporter filed a petition to the Supreme Prosecutors' Office to convene an advisory panel to review his case, insisting that the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office's investigation was unfair, and the state agency accepted the petition. The prosecutor general has the authority to call for formation of an advisory panel to review the validity of an investigation.
Earlier this week, Choo criticized Yoon for refusing to follow her recommendation regarding two cases ― the TV reporter, and a separate bribery case involving Han Myeong-sook, who served as prime minister from 2006 to 2007 under President Roh Moo-hyun.
