Suspicion of contributing phone call to Sung-hae Choi, possibility of investigation of Si-min Yoo and Doo-gwan Kim

The investigation team, former Minister of Justice Cho Kook, will investigate the persons involved in the judicial obstruction such as perjury teachers and attempts to force witnesses during the investigation. On the 23rd, shortly after the court sentenced Cho’s wife, Dongyang University professor Chung Gyeong-shim, to four years in prison, the investigation team said, “We will go on an investigation of perjury as well.” An official from the investigation team said, “After the conviction, there may be increased pressure on the witnesses who testified as true. Even to protect them, a perjury investigation is necessary.”

According to the JoongAng Ilbo report on the 27th, Kim Doo-gwan and Roh Moo-hyun of the Democratic Party, who were accused by the Free Korea Party (currently the People’s Power) at the time by calling the former president of Dongyang University Choi Seong-hae with the intent of “Please do as the request of Professor Jeong Gyeong-shim of Dongyang University.” The chairman of the foundation is selected for investigation. Former Minister Cho’s investigation team is reviewing the method of investigating suspects of interfering with the judiciary by being designated by the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office or Elementary High Prosecutor’s Office as the acting representative of the Seoul Central District Prosecutor’s Office. Usually, prosecutors investigate crimes that interfere with the judiciary, such as perjury, after the judgment of the first trial. This is because if an investigation is conducted during the first trial, it may be misunderstood that the witness is being pressed. In some cases, an investigation is conducted after finishing up to the third trial.

Former President Choi came out as a witness at Professor Jeong’s trial in March and said, “Chairman Yoo said,’Because he (Chairman Yoo) is also in the media (YouTube), he needs to write it a little better. “Tell me that you did it,” he testified. Former President Choi said, “Rep. Kim also made a phone call, saying,’If possible, do what Professor Jeong said.’ When asked by the prosecutor how he felt when he answered the phone, Choi replied, “I thought,’You’re doing something useless.'”

Regarding this, Chairman Yoo said, “As a’Youtube journalist,’ I spoke with Choi to report on facts,” and said, “I have never made an offer to help former Minister Cho.” Rep. Kim also refuted, saying, “I spoke with the former President Choi in order to inquire about the case related to the alleged counterfeiting of the citation.” The possibility of applying the charges of attempted coercion is discussed because Choi, who received the phone call, did not actually commit perjury in the trial.

Former Prime Minister Choi also testified that he received a conciliatory phone call from former Minister Cho and his wife after the prosecution’s investigation was conducted in court. On September 3, last year, Professor Jeong called Choi and said, “Do not give up even if the prosecution asks for it. If you give the wrong data, you will be injured.” The next day, on September 4th, Professor Jeong called again and said that he had replaced her husband, former Minister Cho. In this call, former Minister Cho said, “Everyone is okay if you delegate (giving a citation),” and asked for a press release with such content, Choi said. In response, former Minister Cho refuted, “The president has a different idea to my wife’s claim that she has been commissioned, so please take a look at this.” Professor Chung also argued that it was difficult to trust Choi’s claim through a lawyer.

The legal community believes that threats against perjury teachers or witnesses should be strict, as witnesses’ testimony in court becomes more important. One prosecutor’s official feared, “If the crimes against the witnesses are not severely punished, the rule of law will fall. Like the US Mafia trial, no one will try to act as a witness.”

It is also interpreted that Congressman Kim’s repeated insistence on impeachment of President Yoon was based on the possibility of investigation by former Minister Cho’s investigation team for interfering with justice. Rep. Kim declared on the 25th that “Impeach Yun Seok-yeol and Kim Du-gwan will take the lead”, and on the 26th, “protecting the President is to protect democracy,” and argued that “impeachment of the Prosecutor General is a prerequisite for institutional reform.” On the 27th, Professor Kim Geun-sik of Kyungnam University, Chairman of the Party Committee of the People’s Power Song Pa-byeong, said on the 27th, “You must impeach Kim Doo-gwan in order to cover his attempted coercion crime.”

Reporter Jung Yujin [email protected]