Choo Mi-ae, the presidential candidate of the Democratic Party of Korea, participates in the YTN TV debate held at the YTN Media Center in Mapo-gu, Seoul on August 4 and prepares for the debate. [국회사진기자단]
Former Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae, a preliminary candidate for the Democratic Party’s presidential election, said, “The terrorism and murderous words and actions against Choo have gone too far.” “We will take legal action.”
On the afternoon of the 20th, former Minister Choo made an official statement through ‘Chu Mi-ae TV’ and said, “People who support a specific candidate on SNS accounts such as Twitter and Facebook are transcending the level of personality murderous words and actions that are close to terrorism toward Candidate Chu.” said this
“Currently, we are collecting data, and we will take clear judicial action against those involved,” said Chu.
Former Minister Choo did not mention who the ‘specific candidate’ refers to.
However, on the same day, former Minister Choo announced an official position and a rebuttal position against Democratic Party lawmaker Kim Jong-min. On the same day, former Minister Choo and Rep. Kim had a quarrel over the ‘authenticity of prosecutorial reform’ through Facebook and YouTube, respectively. In this regard, the term ‘specific candidate’ is interpreted to refer to former CEO Lee Nak-yeon.
Previously, in a ‘prosecution reform final discussion’ with former CEO Lee Nak-yeon TV on YouTube’s ‘Lee Nak-yeon TV’ on the 18th, Rep. Kim said, “If there is an election, candidates will check each other and attack each other, but when the words ‘what did the leadership do last time’ I feel uncomfortable every time.”
In response, Choo said on Facebook, “It was the candlelight citizens who kept the Minister of Justice, who had never been shaken for a moment or even an inch by the reform of the prosecution, which was the mission of the candlelight, from being lonely.” This is a serious memory distortion.”
Kim Jong-min, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea. JoongAng Photo
Rep. Kim started a rebuttal on Facebook. Rep. Kim said, “The claim that Candidate Chu fought hard for prosecutorial reform, but the party did not support it, is not true. However, with the second half of the state audit as an opportunity, support for the Democratic Party and prosecutorial reform has gone downhill.”
“At the time, several lawmakers within the party criticized Choo’s remarks, regardless of the nature of the prosecution reform, and criticized that public opinion deteriorated,” he said. However, the party leadership tried not to hurt Choo until the end,” he said.
In response, former Minister Choo rebutted through YouTube’s ‘Chu Mi-ae TV’. Former Minister Choo posted a lengthy rebuttal, stating, “Rep. Kim made two statements, saying that there are facts that are different from the facts in Candidate Choo’s writings, but they are all based on false facts.”
Choo’s side said, “First, Rep. Kim said, ‘After the failure of the disciplinary action against former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol, individual lawmakers within the party talked about resigning.’ On December 17, 2020, before the application for an injunction to cancel the job suspension was cited, the president had already approved the disciplinary resolution against former President Yoon, and he announced his resignation and was waiting for the appointment of a successor.”
“Rep. Kim also spoke as if candidate Choo had claimed that the bill should have been handled by the National Assembly in February, but Choo never made such a claim. It’s about making a promise to ‘February’s initiative’ when you were the party leader and not keeping it,” he said.
“It is very regrettable that Rep. Kim said ‘Do not attack the party,’” said Choo. To replace the just criticism of Lee Nak-yeon, who evaded prosecutorial reform at the time, with an ‘attack on the party’ is only a very petty excuse.”
A spokesperson for the former minister said, “Chuo’s position on prosecutorial reform is consistent. ‘If there is a will and will to deal with the law on the separation of investigation and prosecution, it is not a promise, but proceed right now.’ Rather than spending time on the matter, it is the job of the camp members to gather consensus and put into action to deal with related bills that have already been proposed. Event politics cannot contain the spirit of candlelight.”
Reporter Ha Soo-young ha.suyoung@joongang.co.kr
