South Korean legislators responded to President Yoon Suk Yeol's release from custody on Saturday by asking authorities to probe the heads of investigation bodies — both for his arrest and for allowing him to be freed.
Opposition parties on Monday asked the Corruption Investigation Office to investigate Prosecutor General Shim Woo-jung over his decision not to appeal a court order to cancel Yoon's detention.
The same day, the ruling People Power Party filed a complaint with the prosecution against Oh Dong-woon, chief prosecutor of the CIO, accusing him of wrongfully arresting Yoon in the first place.
The five opposition parties, which hold a combined 190 seats out of 300 at the National Assembly, filed a lawsuit with CIO against Shim, claiming that the prosecution was siding with Yoon by not appealing the court's ruling to cancel Yoon's arrest, while ignoring internal opinions to appeal it.
These came after Shim told reporters on his way to the office that his decision would not constitute grounds for his resignation or removal from the top post at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office.
"I made the decision based on my convictions and following due process," Shim said.
"I don't think that the decision would be grounds (for the parliament) to have me resign or to impeach me. I will take corresponding actions if the National Assembly pushes for impeachment."
A separate group of Democratic Party lawmakers led by six-term lawmaker Rep. Choo Mi-ae on Monday condemned Shim's decision as they visited the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, accusing him of "undermining judicial justice."
The opposition parties, however, have yet to push for a motion to impeach Shim as of press time.
Lawmakers of the conservative ruling party on the same day accused Oh of abusing his power, falsifying documents and testimonies at the parliamentary hearing. They filed the suit with the Supreme Prosecutors' Office led by Shim.
The ruling party condemned the CIO and its leader Oh that detaining Yoon was carried out through an "illegal procedure."
Rep. Joo Jin-woo of the People Power Party told reporters they filed the complaint against the CIO head because it saw Oh's actions as "something that was planned and orchestrated, not something that was mistaken."
Meanwhile, opposition politicians called for Yoon to be arrested again. He remains indicted on charges of leading an insurrection.
"There has been massive evidence (that Yoon had led an insurrection) and (the court) may use the new evidence to rearrest Yoon," Democratic Party Rep. Seo Young-kyo said, as she visited the Supreme Prosecutors' Office.
Liberal former lawmaker Cho Eung-cheon, however, said in a radio interview with SBS that Yoon is not likely to be rearrested over the insurrection allegations, saying a second arrest would only be a viable option if his impeachment is upheld.
By contrast, the ruling party is raising the possibility that criminal charges against Yoon could be nullified.
Rep. Na Kyung-won of the ruling People Power Party on Sunday demanded that the court dismiss the prosecution's indictment against Yoon.
This resonated with former lawmaker Kim Woong's argument that the court, which canceled Yoon's arrest, will likely reject the prosecution under the Criminal Procedure Act, given the procedural glitches in seeking an indictment against Yoon.
Prosecutor General Shim on Monday downplayed the chances of the criminal case being rejected by the court.
consnow@heraldcorp.com
