The Democratic Party of Korea has even pulled out the special prosecutor card, saying it will get to the bottom of the prosecution's "fabricated indictments." With the Prosecution Service set to be dismantled in Oct., the plan is to zero in on major probes conducted under the Yoon Suk-yeol administration, including the SSANGBANGWOOL remittance-to-North-Korea case.
But inside and outside the prosecution, there is cynicism that asks, "Who would volunteer for a special prosecutor that targets the prosecution?" The wave of prosecutors resigning and existing special-prosecutor dispatches overlapping are amplifying questions about feasibility.
◇ Ruling party pulls out the "fabricated indictment special prosecutor" card
According to the political scene on the 20th, the ruling bloc has recently been publicly raising the need for a special prosecutor to reexamine the prosecution's investigation and indictment process under what it calls the "judgment on fabricated indictments" banner. The ruling bloc argues that in cases related to President Lee Jae-myung, including the SSANGBANGWOOL remittance-to-North-Korea case, the prosecution conducted overreaching investigations and indictments.
Park Sung-joon, the ruling party's secretary on the National Assembly's Special Committee for the National Investigation into the "truth behind suspicions of fabricated indictments by political prosecutors under the Yoon Suk-yeol administration," said at a press conference the day before, on the 19th, "Fabrication and truth (in the prosecution's investigations and indictments) are coming to light. We must go to a special prosecutor," adding, "The national investigation is to let the public know it was fabricated, and a special prosecutor is needed to hold those responsible to account."
Han Byung-do, the Democratic Party floor leader, also said at a policy coordination meeting held on the 16th regarding the "SSANGBANGWOOL remittance-to-North-Korea case," "The essence of the case is the Yoon Suk-yeol administration's frenzied attempt to take down Lee Jae-myung," adding, "After the national investigation, we will dig to the end into the full picture of power-driven fabricated indictments through a fabricated indictment special prosecutor."
If a special prosecutor materializes under the Democratic Party's lead, the cases under review by the special committee for the national investigation are likely to come under the probe. They are seven cases: ▲ the SSANGBANGWOOL remittance-to-North-Korea case ▲ the Daejang-dong development favoritism case ▲ the Wirye New Town development corruption case ▲ the political funds allegation involving former Korea Institute for Democracy deputy director Kim Yong ▲ the Moon Jae-in administration's alleged real estate statistics manipulation case ▲ the West Sea civil servant shooting case ▲ the defamation case against former President Yoon Suk-yeol related to reports on the Busan Savings Bank probe being quashed.
◇ "Who would join a special prosecutor that would stab their own in the back"
The problem is that even if a special prosecutor is launched, it will not be easy to find people. With a transition to a Public Prosecution Office system slated for Oct., a string of resignations by prosecutors continues. This year alone, 66 prosecutors have left their posts.
A considerable number of personnel have already been pulled away to existing special prosecutors. The number of prosecutors dispatched to the three special prosecutor teams that have shifted to a trial support posture, and to the second special prosecutor team that is currently investigating remaining suspicions, totals 70—double the staffing of the Cheonan Branch of the Daejeon District Prosecutors' Office (35).
In fact, the comprehensive special prosecutor office failed to fill its quota of 15 dispatched prosecutors for nearly two months after its launch. Thirteen prosecutors are currently assigned. After repeatedly requesting additional dispatches from the Ministry of Justice and the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, it recently received reinforcement in the form of Director General Lee Yong-gyun (Judicial Research and Training Institute class of 34), but it still has not met its staffing quota.
The prevailing view is that even if a new special prosecutor is launched, there will not be many applicants. That is because the target of the investigation is effectively the prosecution organization itself. A senior prosecution official said, "What prosecutor would apply to a special prosecutor that would stab their own in the back?" An attorney who previously served as a director general-level prosecutor also said, "Even if the Prosecution Service disappears, there will not be many prosecutors who will apply to a special prosecutor that directly targets the organization," adding, "It may not even be easy to fill the quota."