Ahn Cheol-soo calls for broker Yang and investigating prosecutors to testify at Kim Seung-won hearing

People Power Party lawmaker Ahn Cheol-soo on Tuesday called for broker Yang and the prosecutors who handled the related investigation to be summoned as witnesses at the confirmation hearing for Ministry of Justice nominee Kim Seung-won, amid swirling lobbying allegations against the nominee.

Ahn made the remarks in a Facebook post, saying the hearing should determine "whether Yang had any intent to lobby, and whether the investigative materials were leaked from prosecutors."

Ahn acknowledged that "controversies over lobbying, solicitation and the 'oppa' relationship surrounding nominee Kim continue," but criticized what he described as a rallying of left-wing forces. "With suspicions of prosecutorial leaks now added to the mix, the left — already fractured over Yong Hye-in — is regrouping and speaking loudly," he said.

He added that Kim was "acting as though he were an innocent victim, dressing up the solicitation as a public-interest complaint and threatening criminal punishment over the source of the documents."

Ahn said there was "a clear solution to these public concerns," arguing that "if the Democratic Party and nominee Kim are confident the 'oppa' solicitation is not true, they should call broker Yang as a witness at the confirmation hearing."

He went on to say, "How long has the 'oppa' relationship lasted, and why? If it was not lobbying of the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, why was a donation transfer mentioned? Wouldn't asking these questions directly resolve the suspicions?"

Ahn also took aim at independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon, saying "the person responsible for leaking the investigative materials must be summoned." He pressed further: "The same applies to the leak of investigative records. Whether the phone forensics transcripts, indictment plans and other prosecutorial documents are genuine prosecutor-authored records — and how they came to be disclosed by a former prosecutor-turned-lawmaker — can be verified by calling the investigating prosecutors and those responsible."

Ahn also said Kim "falls short even based solely on what has already been made public," asking, "How can an 'oppa' minister represent the legal administration of a nation?" He added, however, that "the current allegations must be clearly explained before the public — only then will the line between lobbying and civic requests become certain."