Leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, Jung Chung-rae, made statements on the 12th concerning the so-called “deal theory” related to the dismissal of the indictment in President Lee Jae Myung’s case and the prosecution’s authority for additional investigations. This theory was recently brought up by Kim Ou-joon on YouTube. Jung said, “The party will strongly respond using all available methods.” On the same day, Kim also distanced himself on his YouTube channel, stating, “Minister of Justice Jung Sung-ho rejected the theory, and President Lee is definitely not someone who would suggest such a deal.” This occurred three days after the theory surfaced, as the leadership of the Democratic Party and Kim worked to manage the consequences.
Jung Chung-rae stated during a legislative session, “Unfounded rumors about a deal to drop the charges are circulating without any basis,” and noted, “Such a situation is inconceivable under the Lee Jae Myung administration.” He further said, “It is not only impossible but also should not occur, and it is not taking place.” Han Byung-do, the floor leader, asked, “How long has the president been suffering because of the prosecution?” and questioned, “Is it reasonable, regardless of the details, for the president to strike a deal with such a prosecution?” He concluded, “The party will react vigorously and firmly.”
Kim also rejected the theory on his YouTube channel, saying, “One reason President Lee survived numerous prosecution investigations during his tenure as mayor of Seongnam and later became president is because there were no such underhanded deals.” He added, “If someone used the president’s name for this, it is very dangerous,” and mentioned, “Minister of Justice Jung Sung-ho called it entirely unfounded, which is good.” He finished by saying, “This issue (the deal theory) will not go any further.” In response to claims that the theory was planned for YouTube, he dismissed them, saying, “How could that be?”
On the 10th, Jang In-soo, a former MBC journalist who appears on Kim’s YouTube channel, stated, “A senior government official, clearly a close advisor to the president, recently told several senior prosecutors, ‘What I say is the president’s will,’ and asked, ‘Drop the indictment.’ This part is true.” He further mentioned, “The prosecution would think, ‘The Lee Jae Myung administration wants to handle us.’” Kim replied, “That’s a big story.” On the 11th, another guest remarked, “If the deal theory is accurate, it could serve as a reason for the president’s impeachment.”
Justice Minister Jung Sung-ho strongly rejected the theory, calling it “an illogical conspiracy,” while supporters of Lee described it as “claims no better than those found in tabloid newspapers” and “distortions unworthy of a second-rate novel.” As pressure increased, Jung Chung-rae, a close associate of Kim, seemed to work with Cheong Wa Dae and the government, directing a robust party response. The Democratic Party then moved forward with its plan to submit a request for a national inquiry into the dismissal of charges in seven cases, including the Daejang-dong, Wirye New City, and inter-Korean remittance cases, to the National Assembly. The party argues that if a national investigation and a special prosecutor uncover evidence of manipulated charges, the prosecution should drop the cases.
Although the Democratic Party has issued a robust reaction to the “deal theory,” tensions between the government and the party’s more radical members regarding prosecution reform are anticipated to continue. The party has adopted as its official position government proposals to establish a specialized agency for investigating serious crimes and an indictment authority, with the goal of securing parliamentary approval this month.
Nevertheless, conservative members of the National Assembly’s Legislation and Judiciary Committee, such as Choo Mi-ae and Kim Yong-min, call for major changes, claiming the government’s plan is inadequate. They support the total removal of the prosecution’s authority for additional investigations, a power that President Lee has previously considered essential. During a committee session, Choo and Kim stated that the government’s bill could be modified. Kim argues that all existing prosecutors should be removed and reappointed via a new selection process to staff the indictment office. He also suggests eliminating the position of “prosecutor general,” a title the president aims to keep.
Amid these developments, Jung Chung-rae is reportedly thinking about modifying the government’s bill to some extent in line with the hardliners’ proposals. A source from the Democratic Party stated, “Jung has considerable agreement with the hardliners regarding the removal of the prosecutor general position,” and noted, “He also thinks that the investigative power of the prosecution should be limited via specific conditions to avoid its misuse. Furthermore, he backs changes that would allow for the discretionary transfer of cases or prosecutors to different district offices.”
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