The Ministry of Justice and the Supreme Prosecutors' Office collided head-on today (18th) over the disclosure of former Star Mobility Chairman Kim Bong-hyun, a key figure in the Lime Asset Management (Lime) crisis, offering money to prosecutors and opposition politicians.
The Ministry of Justice raised a suspicion that Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol did not investigate properly despite the suspicion of prosecutors' misconduct and opposition politician lobbying, and the Supreme Prosecutors' Office was confronted with it as'slandering.'
The Ministry of Justice conducted a high-intensity direct investigation of former Chairman Kim for three days from the 16th to the present day, when the disclosure was made in prison.
The Ministry of Justice said, "As a result of the investigation, in relation to the suspicions of'entertainment and extortion of money and goods to prosecutors and investigators' reported through the media recently, and'a billion-dollar cash lobby against opposition politicians who used to be the prosecutor's office', former chairman Kim made a statement to the prosecution. "The investigation was not done properly," he said.
In particular, the Ministry of Justice said, "Even though the Prosecutor General was directly involved in the selection of the Lime case investigation prosecutors and made thorough investigations several times, there are suspicions that he did not conduct a thorough investigation even after receiving reports of abuse of specific opposition politicians and prosecutors."
The Ministry of Justice said, "We are reviewing the subject and method of the investigation separately from the ongoing prosecution, taking into account the results of the prosecution investigation so far and the contents of allegations of misconduct."
The Supreme Prosecutors' Office strongly opposed the announcement by the Ministry of Justice.
The Supreme Prosecutors' Office refuted, "The contents of the announcement by the Ministry of Justice are not based on facts, and are nothing but slanderous against the Prosecutor General, and it is difficult to understand at all."
He emphasized that "President Yoon has ordered a thorough investigation into the Lime case several times, and the investigation is underway according to the alleged lobbying of opposition politicians."
He explained that he was also informed through media reports on the 16th and ordered a prompt investigation.