Kim Min-seok, leader of the Democratic Party, stated on October 6, "If there is a concern that the president's leadership may be undermined, it is time to take control," targeting hardliners within the party advocating for aggressive prosecutorial reform.
During an appearance on the party's YouTube channel, Minty07, Kim noted, "We have accepted some of the strong demands for prosecutorial reform. Now is the time to focus on livelihood reforms. If there are excessive demands that could undermine the president's leadership, I believe it is time for the party to intervene."
This statement appears aimed at unifying differing opinions within the ruling party regarding prosecutorial reform, including the nomination of Kim Ji-yong as the head of the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency and the separation of investigation and prosecution. It also seeks to bolster the power of President Lee Jae-myung, who the previous day mentioned on X (formerly Twitter), "We have achieved not only a complete separation of investigation and prosecution but also a separation of affiliated departments beyond what many had envisioned," directly addressing the party's hardliners.
Previously, Gyeonggi Province Governor Choo Mi-ae criticized Kim Ji-yong on Facebook on October 4, stating, "I never imagined a day would come when I would have to revisit the past as bullets fly from behind while expecting that prosecutorial reform would surpass the halfway point."
Additionally, hardliner Kim Yong-min, a member of the party, openly opposed President Lee's views the day before, asserting, "I have never suggested placing the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency under the Ministry of Justice or leaving supplementary investigative powers with prosecutors."
Kim Min-seok also called for restrained questioning during the National Assembly's audit of the Supreme Court, addressing the controversy over the Blue House's rejection of a request for the appointment of Supreme Court justices. He stated, "We must rigorously question all legal matters, but I believe that Seo Young-kyu, the chair of the Legislative Judiciary Committee, will manage the committee effectively."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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