By Choi He-suk
The main opposition Democratic Party on Tuesday threatened to push for the dismissal of Justice Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn, alleging that he interfered with the prosecution’s investigation into former spy chief Won Sei-hoon.
The former head of the National Intelligence Service, who was a close aide to former President Lee Myung-bak, was accused of directing his agents to advocate government policies and to counter opposition claims online last year before the presidential election.
The Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office said Tuesday it would indict him on charges of violating the laws on elections and the National Intelligence Service, which ban public servants and intelligence agents from political and campaign activities. He will not be detained.
“(Hwang) has not only ignored the prosecutors’ application for a warrant to detain Won, but is also said to have ordered the plans to apply the Public Official Election Act (to the case) for review,” DP chairman Rep. Kim Han-gil said in a news conference.
A request of dismissal for a Cabinet member must be submitted with the support of more than one-third of parliamentarians. With DP lawmakers numbering 127, the main opposition could raise Hwang’s dismissal by itself. Approving the motion, however, requires the support of more than half of the 300-member National Assembly.
According to Kim, the prosecution had concluded that Won and former Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency chief Kim Yong-pan needed to be detained and investigated for violating the Public Official Election Act, but the plans have been put on hold due to a disagreement with the Ministry of Justice.
The opposition party also threatened to request a higher court to charge Won, if the law enforcement agency fails to indict him for the election law violation.
Won has been under investigation for allegations of interfering in last year’s presidential election by ordering NIS agents to manipulate public opinion in favor of President Park Geun-hye.
Kim Yong-pan is suspected of ordering the police to quickly wrap up the investigation into alleged election interference. In addition, Seoul police agency’s cyber crime unit deliberately erased data regarding the investigation, according to prosecutors.
“The Democratic Party cannot but consider submitting a request for Hwang’s dismissal. In addition, if the election act violation is not applied (to Won), the party will strongly consider submitting an application for adjudication,” said DP chairman Kim.
For his part, Hwang has strongly denied all allegations, saying he instructed Prosecutor-General Chae Dong-wook and the investigation team to “do their work based on their convictions.”
As the DP turned up the pressure, the ruling Saenuri Party hit back saying that the DP’s claims were an “absurd political attack.”
“The Democratic Party is demanding that politics become involved in the public prosecutors’ investigation even before the results are announced,” said Saenuri Party spokesperson Rep. Min Hyun-joo.
“The Democratic Party needs to realize that absurd claims and attacks cannot achieve justice and win over the hearts of the public.”
(cheesuk@heraldcorp.com)