Lee says charges probe should follow 'law and common sense,' vows to pursue N. Korea denuclearization

President Lee Jae Myung said Monday that questions surrounding the so-called "fabricated indictment special prosecutor" and "charge-withdrawal special prosecutor" bills — pushed by the ruling camp — should be resolved by following "the law and common sense." Speaking at a first-anniversary press conference at Cheong Wa Dae's Yeongbingwan, Lee said that if wrongdoing is found, it should be corrected, and if not, the matter should be left alone.

"I have my own subjective views, but setting those aside, there are quite a few things that appear objectively problematic," Lee said. "At the very least, the truth must be established."

He said the investigation could be conducted either by prosecutors and police under his command, assembled into a large joint task force — "that would normally be the standard approach" — or by a special prosecutor appointed by the National Assembly.

Lee threw his weight behind the special prosecutor option, saying that while a task force under his command might be preferable from his own standpoint, a neutral special prosecutor would better serve the public and the opposition party. "Unnecessary suspicions could arise, so it would be better for the National Assembly to decide," he said.

"The outcome should be judged according to the law and common sense — correct what is wrong, leave alone what is not," Lee said. "It only seems complicated because people make it that way. It really isn't that hard."

On the controversy over prosecutors' supplementary investigation rights ahead of the planned dissolution of the Prosecution Service, Lee said public distrust of prosecutors runs deep and that he had decided to leave the question to the National Assembly.

Turning to North Korea's denuclearization, Lee said it was unclear whether China's door was firmly closed to Pyongyang, while Russia's was "clearly open," rendering sanctions ineffective. "Even at this very moment, North Korea is producing enough fissile material to build around 20 nuclear weapons a year," he said.

He added that North Korea produces nuclear weapons to preserve its regime and would export them once production exceeds what it needs for that purpose. "Preventing that is also in the international community's interest," he said.

Lee said North Korea could scale back production if it felt less threatened. He called for short-term negotiating goals that include halting additional fissile material production, stopping the export of nuclear materials and suspending ballistic missile technology development.

"Let us not abandon the goal of denuclearization," Lee said. He warned that if South Korea pursued nuclear armament, Japan, Taiwan and the rest of East Asia would follow suit, turning the entire region into a nuclear zone. "South Korea, with its high dependence on foreign trade, cannot survive international sanctions. Calling for nuclear armament is truly irresponsible," he said.

Responding to a question from a Japanese journalist about the Korea-Japan Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement, or ACSA, Lee said he had told Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi that accepting the agreement "is difficult at this time given public sentiment."

"South Koreans right now think, 'What on earth is this about?'" Lee said. "I personally see a practical need for it, but if I say that, I get in trouble. Please understand our position," he added.

On the broader bilateral relationship, Lee said disputes over historical and territorial issues should not lead Seoul to abandon cooperation in other areas. "What can be managed should be managed," he said.