The presidential office said it does not consider it appropriate to attach political interpretations or meanings to President Lee Jae-myung appointing, as the second comprehensive special prosecutor, a figure recommended by the Rebuilding Korea Party rather than by the Democratic Party of Korea.
A presidential office official told the press corps on the 8th via a notice that the special prosecutor selection was a decision made after comprehensively considering various factors.
Earlier, on the 5th, the president appointed attorney Kwon Chang-young, recommended by the Rebuilding Korea Party, as the special prosecutor instead of attorney Jeon Jun-cheol, recommended by the Democratic Party. Then on the 7th, media reports said the president was displeased that the Democratic Party had recommended Jeon, who had defended former SSANGBANGWOOL Chairman Kim Sung-tae in a 2023 trial related to the so-called illegal remittances to North Korea case, sparking controversy.
Park Hong-keun, a Democratic Party lawmaker aligned with the pro–Lee Jae-myung camp, said on social media (SNS), Is the party leadership in its right mind to present, as a candidate for the second special prosecutor, a former prosecutor-turned-lawyer who sided with the prosecution's 'killing Lee Jae-myung'? He added, Party leader Jung Chung-rae should promptly clarify the facts, including how the recommendation came about, and mete out stern accountability.
As the controversy grew, Democratic Party Supreme Council member Lee Sung-yoon, who recommended Jeon, said on SNS, It is entirely my responsibility, adding, Jeon is a principled and capable prosecutor who, because he was deeply involved with me in investigations such as the Kim Keon-hee stock manipulation case and the Han Dong-hoon Channel A case, faced raids and other pressure under the Yoon Suk-yeol administration. He then said Jeon had at one point, at the request of other attorneys already pleading the case, briefly defended SSANGBANGWOOL executives and employees in the middle of the investigation, but the part he handled concerned their personal embezzlement and breach of trust and was entirely unrelated to the North Korea remittances.
Some interpret the situation as the so-called Myeong–Chung (Lee Jae-myung–Jung Chung-rae) rift resurfacing. There is also reaction within the ruling camp suggesting that if the Democratic Party recommended Jeon despite knowing this background, it may have had an improper intent.
Meanwhile, the second comprehensive special counsel will additionally investigate allegations such as the Noh Sang-won notebook, which the three previous special counsels did not address. The investigation period is up to 170 days, including a 20-day preparation period. The number of dispatched prosecutors will reach up to 251.