Three Cases Involving President Lee, Including 'Daejang-dong' and 'North Korea Remittance,' Selected for First Prosecutors' Future Committee Investigation (Comprehensive)

Recommendations for Fact-Finding, Prevention of Recurrence, and Victim Remedies
Committee to Be Chaired by Former Minbyun President Jang Jooyoung

The Ministry of Justice’s Prosecutors' Human Rights Respect Future Committee (hereafter "the Prosecutors' Future Committee"), which is tasked with reviewing cases of human rights violations arising during prosecutorial investigations, has selected cases related to President Lee Jaemyung as the subject of its first investigation.

The Ministry of Justice launched the Prosecutors' Human Rights Respect Future Committee on the 10th and presented appointment letters to seven committee members, including Joo-Young Jang, the chairman of the committee, followed by a commemorative photo session. Ministry of Justice

On June 10, the Ministry of Justice announced the launch of the Prosecutors' Future Committee and said it awarded appointment letters to seven members, including lawyer Jang Jooyoung, who will chair the committee.

The Prosecutors' Future Committee is an independent body that selects cases involving suspected human rights violations or abuse of prosecutorial authority, conducts fact-finding based on the findings of investigative bodies, and makes recommendations for preventive and remedial measures to prevent recurrence and restore victims’ rights.

The chairperson, Jang Jooyoung, is a former president of Lawyers for a Democratic Society (Minbyun). Born in Mokpo, Jeonnam Province, he passed the 27th National Judicial Examination. He served as secretary general of Minbyun in 2004 and was elected president in 2012. Additional committee members include Jinsoo Kim, a lawyer at Yegang Law Office; Kim Hyekyung, professor of Police Administration at Keimyung University; Oh Byungdoo, professor at the College of Law, Hongik University; Oh Changik, secretary general of Human Rights Solidarity; Lee Dongyeon, managing attorney at Ijak; and Hwang Seongi, member of the Human Rights Committee at the Korean Bar Association. The Ministry of Justice stated that the committee is composed of individuals with extensive knowledge, experience, and expertise related to prosecutorial work.

At its first meeting on this day, the Prosecutors' Future Committee selected seven cases for its initial investigation: the Ssangbangwool North Korea remittance case; the Daejang-dong development case; the case involving former Vice President Kim Yong of the Democratic Research Institute; the Wirye New Town case; the case of a public official shot in the West Sea; the statistics manipulation case; and the defamation by false reporting allegations involving President Yoon Suk Yeol. Of these seven, three are related to President Lee Jaemyung. The committee also requested the Minister of Justice to establish an independent investigative body under the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office.

The committee will continue discussions on additional cases to be selected for investigation. According to committee regulations, it may select not only cases subject to parliamentary investigations for fabricated indictments, but also incidents where human rights violations or abuse of authority are suspected during the exercise of prosecutorial power, as well as cases proposed by the public that raise similar suspicions.

Minister of Justice Jeong Seongho said, “In order to move toward a better future, the Ministry of Justice and the prosecution must first identify past wrongdoings, clarify the truth, and offer genuine reflection,” adding, “The Ministry of Justice will do its utmost to ensure that the committee can carry out its activities independently and neutrally.”

Chairperson Jang also stated, “The committee will clarify the facts based on evidence and truth, and will release the investigation results to the public as they are. We will also establish measures to prevent similar abuses of prosecutorial authority from recurring.”

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