I asked a former special prosecutor… “LH, mammoth-class special swords are difficult to succeed”

Three weeks before the April 7 by-election election, the opposition parties dramatically agreed to a’special prosecution on the Korea Land and Housing Corporation (LH) situation’. However, former special prosecutors said, “The scope of the investigation is too wide, so even if you are enlisted as the largest special prosecutor in history, it is difficult to be sure of success.”

The largest existing special inspection team is Park Young-soo, a special prosecutor of Gukjeong Nongdan, launched in December 2016. There were a total of 105 people, including 1 special prosecutor, 4 special prosecutors, 40 special investigators, 20 dispatched prosecutors, and 40 dispatched civil servants.

Former special prosecutors who responded to the JoongAng Ilbo report on the premise of anonymity on the 17th pointed out, “The suspicion of the 3rd LH new city is enormous, but if it expands to the Park Geun-hye and Lee Myung-bak governments, the scope of the investigation is too wide, so the possibility of success is low.”

As of now, both the opposition parties are expressing a principled position that’there is no sanctuary’ in relation to the scope of the investigation. However, the actual counting method is complicated. The Democratic Party, which has been on the defensive due to the LH crisis, is in a position to expand the scope and timing of the investigation to the former government as much as possible in order to change the frame to’clearing real estate storage. On the other hand, the people’s power is focused on expanding the scope of the investigation by focusing on the situation of the current government.

Regarding this, a former special prosecutor said, “It is difficult to do well.” “It is not an easy investigation at all,” he said. “The targets of the investigation are spread across the country, and it is also difficult to prove what kind of criminal law will’speculation’ be ruled by speculation rather than investment, and whether it is information learned on the job. “It’s good,” he analyzed.

As it is a difficult investigation, voices are growing that a mammoth-level special prosecutor should be launched. An attorney from a prosecution said, “The number of people must be enormous in order to conduct such an investigation,” and predicted that “a special prosecutor of the size of one district prosecutor should be launched.” However, a number of former special prosecutors feared that “it is never easy to find a suitable special prosecutor to lead such a large-scale speculative investigation.”

Another former special prosecutor pointed out, “It is not an investigation with a personality suitable for a special prosecution,” and “The existing investigation has not yet arrived, but introducing a special prosecutor does not fit the purpose of the system.”

He pointed out that the mammoth-level special investigation headquarters (special edition) decided to introduce a special prosecution hastily, only one week after it was launched. The government announced on the 10th that it will form a special edition of 770 people, centered on the National Police Agency’s National Investigation Headquarters. The special edition included the personnel dispatched to the National Tax Service, the Financial Services Commission, and the Korea Real Estate Agency along with the 18 metropolitan and provincial police offices.

Accordingly, there is a trend inside the police saying, “I am embarrassed when a special edition is under investigation.” On this day, the Special Investigation Unit of Real Estate Speculation Crimes of the Gyeonggi Southern Police Agency conducted a seizure and search of the LH’s superior agency, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, and the North Siheung Nonghyup, where loans from LH employees under police investigations were concentrated.

Special prosecutors also have limitations in the duration and manpower of the investigation. A special prosecutor can investigate by dispatching 30 investigators for up to 90 days in accordance with the relevant laws. It is different from the prosecution, which additionally supplements manpower if necessary and does not have any special restrictions on the duration of the investigation.

The prosecution is an embarrassing reaction, saying, “Is it a special prosecutor who brought out the prosecution after shouting, “The prosecutor’s office is completely deprived of the prosecution’s right to investigate” A former special prosecutor said, “There have been countless special prosecutors launched, but successful special prosecutors are rare,” and “there is a high likelihood of becoming a special prosecutor for’election’.” It is pointed out that the ruling and opposition parties have agreed to introduce special prosecutors according to the political counting law ahead of the 4·7 by-election.

There is also a prospect that the launching time could be significantly delayed than the previous special prosecutors who usually take about a month. The key is how long the tug-of-war between girls will be over the scope of the investigation before appointment and the duration of the investigation.

In the case of Choi Soon-sil Gukjeong Nongdan, a special prosecutor was launched after 37 days due to public resentment. A special prosecutor was introduced in 34 days when the late former President Roh Moo-hyun’s aides were corrupt.

A former special prosecutor said, “It takes a preparation period, and even if it is launched, various difficulties are expected.”

Reporters Kim Soo-min and Kang Kwang-woo [email protected]