Democratic Party lawmakers Lee Geon-tae, Seo Young-kyo, and Lee Yong-woo hold a press conference at the National Assembly on June 21, 2026, to present their position on the manipulated prosecution allegations under the Yoon Suk-yeol administration. [Photo: Yonhap News]
As discussions in the National Assembly regarding the special prosecutor bill on manipulated investigations and prosecutions heat up, both ruling and opposition parties have engaged in a prelude to a larger conflict. This follows the first trial verdict for former Gyeonggi Province Peace Vice Governor Lee Hwa-young, which has led to sharply contrasting interpretations. The ruling Democratic Party claims that a special prosecutor is necessary, while the opposition People Power Party argues that the absence of a so-called 'salmon party' has been confirmed, urging the ruling party to cease attempts at prosecution cancellation.
On June 21, members of the National Investigation Special Committee from the Democratic Party issued a statement declaring, "The court has declared the prosecution's abuse of authority," emphasizing that the manipulated prosecution by the Yoon Suk-yeol administration has once again been exposed.
They called for an apology from the prosecution regarding the not guilty and dismissal verdicts related to Lee's alleged violations of political funding laws and abuse of power concerning North Korean aid. Regarding the guilty verdict for perjury, they asserted 'substantial innocence,' noting that three of the seven jurors believed Lee did not commit perjury, suggesting that the evidence was insufficient for a guilty verdict.
During a press conference, lawmaker Lee Geon-tae explained this position, stating to reporters, "In a criminal trial, guilt must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. If three of the seven jurors believe he is innocent, it indicates that the prosecution has not met its burden of proof."
Seo Young-kyo, who chaired the National Investigation Special Committee, emphasized the need for a special prosecutor to hold accountable those responsible for the revelations uncovered by the committee. However, when asked whether it would be advisable to grant the special prosecutor the authority to cancel prosecutions, she responded that further discussion is necessary, avoiding a direct answer.
Conversely, the People Power Party, which has claimed that the National Investigation Special Committee is a pretext to cancel trials related to President Lee Jae-myung, reacted to the verdict concerning Lee Hwa-young by stating, "A national deception has been revealed." They argued that the confirmation of Lee's perjury regarding the alleged 'salmon party' undermines the key basis for canceling the trial related to the 'Double-Headed North Korean Remittance.'
Lawmaker Jeong Jeom-sik pointed out on Facebook the day before, "President Lee must now abandon his obsession with prosecution cancellation," adding, "The history of the Democratic Party's false propaganda must now include the salmon party deception." On the same day, Secretary General Jeong Hee-yong urged the Democratic Party to stop its reckless behavior that undermines the judiciary and to apologize to the public for deceiving them through a national deception.
Political analysts suggest that the verdict concerning Lee Hwa-young has sparked a prelude to conflict between the ruling and opposition parties, especially as discussions on the special prosecutor bill are expected to resume once the legislative assembly is fully constituted. The ruling party argues that the special prosecutor is necessary to address manipulated prosecutions, while the opposition seeks to eliminate trials related to President Lee through prosecution cancellation, aiming to sway public opinion. Some analysts believe that the ruling party's unilateral push for a special prosecutor may be challenging, given their poor performance in the June 3 local elections and a noticeable decline in party support, especially after the court recognized Lee's perjury charge.
Meanwhile, both parties have been negotiating the composition of the legislative assembly this month, but discussions remain stalled as they insist on claiming the position of chair of the Judiciary Committee.
* This article has been translated by AI.
On June 21, members of the National Investigation Special Committee from the Democratic Party issued a statement declaring, "The court has declared the prosecution's abuse of authority," emphasizing that the manipulated prosecution by the Yoon Suk-yeol administration has once again been exposed.
They called for an apology from the prosecution regarding the not guilty and dismissal verdicts related to Lee's alleged violations of political funding laws and abuse of power concerning North Korean aid. Regarding the guilty verdict for perjury, they asserted 'substantial innocence,' noting that three of the seven jurors believed Lee did not commit perjury, suggesting that the evidence was insufficient for a guilty verdict.
During a press conference, lawmaker Lee Geon-tae explained this position, stating to reporters, "In a criminal trial, guilt must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. If three of the seven jurors believe he is innocent, it indicates that the prosecution has not met its burden of proof."
Seo Young-kyo, who chaired the National Investigation Special Committee, emphasized the need for a special prosecutor to hold accountable those responsible for the revelations uncovered by the committee. However, when asked whether it would be advisable to grant the special prosecutor the authority to cancel prosecutions, she responded that further discussion is necessary, avoiding a direct answer.
Conversely, the People Power Party, which has claimed that the National Investigation Special Committee is a pretext to cancel trials related to President Lee Jae-myung, reacted to the verdict concerning Lee Hwa-young by stating, "A national deception has been revealed." They argued that the confirmation of Lee's perjury regarding the alleged 'salmon party' undermines the key basis for canceling the trial related to the 'Double-Headed North Korean Remittance.'
Lawmaker Jeong Jeom-sik pointed out on Facebook the day before, "President Lee must now abandon his obsession with prosecution cancellation," adding, "The history of the Democratic Party's false propaganda must now include the salmon party deception." On the same day, Secretary General Jeong Hee-yong urged the Democratic Party to stop its reckless behavior that undermines the judiciary and to apologize to the public for deceiving them through a national deception.
Political analysts suggest that the verdict concerning Lee Hwa-young has sparked a prelude to conflict between the ruling and opposition parties, especially as discussions on the special prosecutor bill are expected to resume once the legislative assembly is fully constituted. The ruling party argues that the special prosecutor is necessary to address manipulated prosecutions, while the opposition seeks to eliminate trials related to President Lee through prosecution cancellation, aiming to sway public opinion. Some analysts believe that the ruling party's unilateral push for a special prosecutor may be challenging, given their poor performance in the June 3 local elections and a noticeable decline in party support, especially after the court recognized Lee's perjury charge.
Meanwhile, both parties have been negotiating the composition of the legislative assembly this month, but discussions remain stalled as they insist on claiming the position of chair of the Judiciary Committee.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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