Seoul, Oct 23 (IANS) South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on Thursday called for stern punishment for law enforcement officials accused of abusing their authority to cover up or fabricate cases, denouncing such acts as “unforgivable.”
Lee made the remarks during a meeting with senior aides after lawmakers accused some prosecutors of exerting inappropriate influence over investigations during this year’s parliamentary audit sessions, Yonhap News Agency reported.
“There were criticisms over problems related to some law enforcement agencies during the recent parliamentary audit. Such acts undermine democracy and the rule of law, and they are unforgivable acts that disrupt public order,” Lee said, without mentioning specific cases.
Lee said some investigators had abused their official authority to conceal apparent illegalities or fabricate cases, accusing them of “disrupting public order and pursuing personal gain.”
“We must thoroughly uncover the truth and deal sternly with those responsible, punishing them in accordance with the law and principles,” he said.
Last week, Prosecutor Moon Ji-seok made a tearful testimony alleging that the prosecution’s leadership had pressured him to omit key evidence in a severance pay case involving Coupang, the nation’s leading e-commerce company.
During other audit sessions, ruling party lawmakers raised concerns that some prosecutors allegedly provided alcohol and raw salmon to former Gyeonggi Vice Gov. Lee Hwa-young during questioning over his involvement in an illegal remittance to North Korea in 2019 in attempt to coerce unfavorable testimony to Lee, who formerly served as Gyeonggi Province governor.
Meanwhile, South Korea’s former Defence Minister Lee Jong-sup appeared on Thursday for a court hearing on his potential arrest over claims of interfering in a military probe into the 2023 death of a Marine conscript.
Lee attended the hearing at the Seoul Central District Court after special counsel Lee Myeong-hyeon filed for the warrant Monday on charges of abuse of power, among other offenses, in connection to the alleged interference.
“I will make a full explanation at the courtroom,” Lee told reporters before the hearing while rejecting the charges brought against him.
The court decision on his potential arrest will be made as early as later in the day.
The case centers on claims the former Yoon Suk Yeol administration interfered in the Marine Corps’ investigation into the death of Cpl. Chae Su-geun in July 2023 in order to allegedly clear a senior Marine commander of responsibility.
The former minister, who served at the time of Chae’s death, is accused of ordering the probe to not be transferred to the police and later retrieving it after Yoon scandal flew into a rage upon being briefed on the case.
Lee has acknowledged the episode about Yoon but has maintained that he was not ordered to exclude a certain individual from the suspect list or stop the probe’s transfer.
–IANS
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