PPP blasts special prosecutor over Oh Se-hoon acquittal, demands accountability

The People Power Party on Friday called for special prosecutor Min Joong-ki to be held accountable after Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon was acquitted on appeal in his political funds case.

PPP Floor Leader Jeong Jeom-sik held a press briefing at the National Assembly that afternoon, expressing respect for the court panel that "upheld justice and conscience in strict accordance with legal principles and evidence, even amid pressure from the ruling party — which used the authority of the chairman of the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee up until the day before sentencing to intimidate the court and push for a guilty verdict."

Jeong called on Special Prosecutor Min to apologize, saying the verdict had exposed "the true face of Special Prosecutor Min's reckless targeted investigation and politically motivated indictment, which relied entirely on the testimony of Myung Tae-kyun."

He also said the Public Official Election Act violation case involving first lady Kim Hye-kyung "has been pending at the Supreme Court for one year and five months in breach of the 6-3-3 principle," adding that "the trial must proceed without delay."

PPP Chairman Jang Dong-hyeok also took to Facebook after the acquittal was announced Friday, writing that Oh's full acquittal was "justice prevailing in the end."

Jang called for the special prosecutor to be held responsible, saying, "The special prosecutor who indicted a case that never should have been brought must be held accountable," and demanded that the office "immediately abandon a Supreme Court appeal that has no chance of succeeding."

He then sharpened his remarks, saying, "The person who should be on trial is not Mayor Oh Se-hoon. The criminal who should be on trial is President Lee Jae Myung. Resume Lee Jae Myung's trial immediately."

Lawmaker Ahn Cheol-soo said the appellate ruling "was a stern rebuke asking why a special prosecution and a full trial were conducted over what amounted to nothing more than gossip," and expressed hope that it would mark "a turning point in ending the practice of using the law as a weapon to disrupt politics and tear apart the lives of citizens."

Lawmaker Bae Hyun-jin also posted on Facebook, saying she wanted to "congratulate Seoul citizens on the appellate court result" and that while "it is not all over yet, we can breathe a little easier now."

Bae, however, directed criticism at the party leadership, saying those she called the "flowers-and-drums leadership" — who had "shaken the Seoul city party chapter throughout the election and called for a Seoul by-election, making people wonder which party's leadership they belonged to" — "should count themselves lucky and be grateful."