Top prosecutor Yoon promises bold in-house reforms at audit

Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl pledged to drastically reform his agency at a parliamentary audit Thursday. 

“All of us are aware that the people are demanding prosecution reforms more strongly than ever,” he said. “We respect their voices and the parliament’s decisions and will come up with our own reforms.”

He reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to reform, three days after former Justice Minister Cho Kuk resigned from his post. The audit session, overseen by the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, saw liberal and conservative parties sparring over Cho’s resignation amid corruption allegations targeting his family.

Members of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea took issue with the prosecution’s investigation of Cho.

“A majority of Koreans criticize the prosecution and don’t trust it,” said Rep. Kim Jong-min of the Democratic Party during the audit. “As the chief prosecutor, you should hear them out.”

On the other hand, members of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party encouraged the chief prosecutor to continue the investigation into Cho’s family.

Yoon rebutted criticism that the investigation was not making progress. He said the prosecution was maintaining a tight control over information so the details of the case will remain confidential. Prosecutors were suspected of telling reporters what was happening in the investigation.

Yoon also clarified his views on major sticking points in the proposed reforms, such as introducing an independent body to oversee crimes by ranking government officials and shutting down the prosecution’s special units that investigate select white-collar crimes.

He favored setting up an independent body to probe into senior officials facing corruption charges. “An independent body means decentralizing the prosecution’s power. I’m not against it as long as it leads to tackling corruption,” he said.

But, Yoon expressed reservations at cutting down the prosecution’s special investigation units tracking down white-collar crimes. He said that this could weaken the prosecution’s oversight of financial crimes.

Meanwhile Yoon hinted at withdrawing his complaint against local weekly magazine Hankyoreh 21. The magazine reported that he had been associated with businessman Yoon Joong-cheon, who is accused of bribing former Vice Justice Minister Kim Hak-eui and arranging sexual services as part of the bribery.

Yoon, who denies wrongdoing, lodged a criminal defamation complaint, saying he would retract the complaint if the magazine prints a public apology.

By Choi Si-young (siyoungchoi@heraldcorp.com)