Party calls leaked prosecution documents 'crime against state records'

Jang Dong-hyeok accused of championing far-right fringe

Opposition told to save grievances for October national audit

Kim Seung-won, who withdrew his nomination as minister of justice. [Yonhap]
Kim Seung-won, who withdrew his nomination as minister of justice. [Yonhap]

The Democratic Party of Korea moved Sunday to blunt a conservative opposition offensive over what critics have called a string of botched presidential appointments, while going on the counterattack by demanding that police immediately launch a forced investigation into independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon over allegations he leaked internal prosecution documents.

The Democratic Party issued a series of written briefings Sunday, condemning the People Power Party for stoking political conflict and characterizing Han's disclosure of the documents as "a crime that privatized state records."

Party spokesperson Jo Gye-won told reporters at the National Assembly press center Sunday morning that Han had said "go ahead and take revenge if you want," but that Han himself was the first to use the word revenge. "The Democratic Party is talking about a crime, not revenge," Jo said. "Han is trying to escape by framing his criminal charges as political retaliation."

Jo called on police to act without delay. "He must answer who gave him internal prosecution documents that never even reached a court, and how he stitched them together piece by piece to spread them around," Jo said. "Police must immediately open an investigation into Han, seize his mobile phone and storage devices, and preserve his communications records."

In a separate written briefing, Jo referred to Han as "Yoon Dong-hoon — a carbon copy of former President Yoon Suk Yeol's bluster," and said Han had "maliciously distorted President Lee Jae Myung's remarks and used prosecution cabinet politics to mislead the press." Jo also raised a police decision not to refer Han's case to prosecutors over allegations — raised during his past confirmation hearing — that his children had ghostwritten academic papers and fabricated volunteer hours, and demanded those cases be reinvestigated. "Submit yourself to a forced investigation first and prove you have nothing to hide," Jo said.

Sharp criticism was also directed at the opposition leadership. Democratic Party spokesperson Son Myeong-su targeted People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyeok, saying Jang had repeatedly failed to grasp that President Lee had no intention of seeking a second term and had dismissed calls for national unity as "leftist unity." "I suppose we should give Jang a literacy lesson as a Chuseok gift," Son said. He added that Jang should "stop the delusion of trying to sow division by treating only the small far-right fringe that supports him as the people."

The party also pushed back against the opposition's signaled move to take its fight outside the Assembly. Floor spokesperson Lee Ju-hee said in a written briefing that the People Power Party was preparing street rallies and denunciation events ahead of the Chuseok holiday. "What people want to hear around the holiday table is not condemnation slogans at outdoor rallies," Lee said. "If prices and livelihoods are the issue, bring your data and your policy arguments to the October national audit and budget deliberations."


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