Han Byung-do, floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, said Thursday that his party would "summon every political prosecutor involved in regime-level political hunting" over allegations that prosecutor Park Sang-yong coerced testimony during the Ssangbangwool North Korea remittance case.
Han made the remarks at a party policy meeting at the National Assembly. "The ugly true face of Yoon Suk-yeol's political prosecution, which attempted to fabricate the Ssangbangwool North Korea remittance case as a tool to destroy Lee Jae-myung, has been exposed for all to see," he said.
"Political prosecutor Park Sang-yong told the defense attorney of former Gyeonggi Province Vice Governor for Peace Lee Hwa-young that 'there must be a confession that makes Lee Jae-myung the complete mastermind,'" Han said. He alleged that the prosecution "attempted to coerce and threaten a detained suspect and negotiate sentencing, using bail release and whistleblower status protection as bait."
Han called the alleged conduct "a grave crime that completely undermines Korea's criminal justice system and the rule of law," saying the prosecution "set a goal of catching Lee Jae-myung and then designed false confessions from the former vice governor and Ssangbangwool officials."
"The Democratic Party will uncover the truth behind the Yoon political prosecution's targeted investigations and fabricated indictments through a parliamentary investigation into prosecutorial misconduct," he stressed.
Ahead of the plenary session scheduled for the day, Han said the National Assembly must pass "exchange rate stabilization bills including the Restriction of Special Taxation Act and the Special Rural Development Tax Act today."
"The National Assembly must also address the Foreign Trade Act and the Trade Environment Response Support Act," he said, adding that "petrochemical and steel companies are on the brink due to the naphtha crisis."
Han added that "the Economic Security Supply Chain Stabilization Support Act and the Corporate Vitality Enhancement Special Act are no longer optional," saying the party would "pass these bills without fail with the mindset that today is the last chance."