Lee Jung-hyun, acting prosecutor general and deputy chief of the Public Prosecution Service, said he has neither ordered nor reviewed dropping charges in cases involving President Lee Jae-myung.
At a parliamentary audit of the Public Prosecution Service held by the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee on the 22nd, Lee was asked by Rep. Kim Han-kyu of the Democratic Party of Korea whether he had instructed or consulted with other metropolitan or regional prosecution chiefs about reviewing the withdrawal of charges in cases involving the president. "I have never so much as uttered the first syllable of 'withdrawal of charges,'" he said.
He also explained remarks he made last month on his first day in office, when he was asked about the possibility of dropping charges in cases involving the president and said he would wait for the results of a fact-finding investigation.
When Rep. Kwak Kyu-taek of the People Power Party took issue with those comments, Lee said, "At that doorstepping, the fact-finding investigation was under way, so I stated the extremely general position that I would wait for the results." He added, "How could I presume to say whether I would or would not do something based on a hypothetical situation? I make clear that I have not reviewed it and that no other intent whatsoever is involved."
On the activities of the Justice Ministry's committee on respect for human rights and the future of the prosecution, he declined to answer, saying, "The fact-finding investigation is under way and my answer could influence it, so it is difficult for me to respond." An investigation team reported findings on three cases at the committee's meeting on the 15th: development corruption in the Wirye new town project, the manipulation of real estate statistics under the Moon Jae-in administration, and the fatal shooting of a government official in the West Sea. The Wirye case is one in which the president was indicted as a defendant.
The audit also turned to the question of whether the heads of criminal justice agencies, including the Public Prosecution Service and the Major Crimes Investigation Agency, should attend Cabinet meetings. Rep. Yoon Sang-hyun of the People Power Party said regular attendance by the heads of investigative and prosecutorial bodies, which brings them into contact with the president and Cabinet members, risks undermining the political neutrality and independence of their agencies.
Lee responded, "I have attended on several occasions, but not once have I mentioned a specific case, nor do I intend to." He added, "I will see that the concern that the prosecution chief's attendance at Cabinet meetings may compromise fairness and neutrality is properly conveyed through the Justice Ministry."