Photo : YONHAP News
Rival political parties on the National Assembly’s Legislation and Judiciary Committee clashed over the prosecution’s decision not to indict first lady Kim Keon-hee in a stock manipulation case, as well as the resulting push by the opposition to impeach prosecutors who played a part in that decision.
Ruling People Power Party Rep. Park Jun-tae accused the main opposition Democratic Party(DP) of trying to intimidate prosecutors by calling for the impeachment of Prosecutor General Shim Woo-jung and the head of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office, Lee Chang-soo.
While the DP alleges that the prosecution showed preferential treatment toward the first lady, Park said the opposition’s real intent is to threaten retaliation against prosecutors investigating various allegations against DP leader Lee Jae-myung.
The DP strongly criticized the prosecution, with Rep. Lee Geon-tae accusing the prosecutor general of having pledged in advance not to indict the first lady as a condition of his appointment.
DP Rep. Lee Sung-yoon said the public will not forgive the prosecution for turning a blind eye to the allegations against the first lady.