Leaders of the People Power Party’s metropolitan council candidates maintained their intense criticism on the second day, targeting the Democratic Party of Korea’s proposed *Manipulated Prosecution Act on the Appointment of Special Prosecutors, etc.* Political analysts expect this legislation to emerge as a central topic with just over a month left until the June 3 local elections.
Member of the People Power Party, Choo Kyung-ho, who is running for mayor of Daegu, posted on Facebook that day, “President Lee Jae Myung, do you really plan to become Emperor Nero, placing yourself above the law?” Choo stated, “I can no longer keep track of how many special prosecutors there have been. But this one seems something even a tyrant from Roman times would be envious of,” and criticized, “It reportedly enables the special prosecutor to drop cases related to the president, exceeding their investigative powers.”
Choo criticized, “It’s disgraceful for a defendant to hire a special prosecutor to examine their own case and have that prosecutor completely drop the charges, effectively eliminating the case. Will the public tolerate this?” He urged, “I ask Kim Boo-kyum, the Democratic Party’s candidate for mayor of Daegu, to finally put an end to the Democratic Party’s actions.” He added, “Don’t make Daegu residents give up their conservative values. First, get the Democratic Party to realize the error of its ways. Clarify your position on President Lee Jae Myung’s ‘Emperor Nero Enabling Act.’”
Member of the People Power Party, Kim Tae-heum, who is running for governor of Chungnam, expressed his criticism on Facebook, saying, “Lee Jae Myung’s *Judicial Risk Erasure Act regarding the Appointment of Special Prosecutors, etc.*—is this a country?” He criticized, “The Democratic Party’s uncontrollable train has finally crashed. With the *Manipulated Prosecution Special Prosecutor Bill*, they seek to provide the president with a pardon. Having taken control of the legislature, they have revealed their real intention to completely remove the president’s judicial risks.”
Kim stated, “It goes against basic logic for a special prosecutor selected by the president to have the power to drop charges against the president. Using legislative authority given by the people to remove the president is an attack on public trust.” He further said, “This action is unconstitutional, aiming to dismantle the entire judicial system and signal a move towards dictatorship. Laws should not be used as a means to hide crimes. Keep in mind that misusing power will eventually come back to harm those who use it.”
Park Wan-su, a candidate for governor of Gyeongnam from the People Power Party, shared on Facebook, “Legislative tyranny aimed at protecting President Lee Jae Myung—Gyeongnam residents should assess this.” Park stated, “Yesterday (the 1st) marked precisely one year since the Supreme Court overturned President Lee’s conviction in the Public Official Election Act violation case. This bill, scheduled to be introduced on this date, is clearly ‘shield legislation’ designed to protect one individual, the president.”
Park stated, “No one is above the law. If a crime occurs, it should be addressed in court and responsibility accepted based on judicial decisions—that is the essence of the rule of law.” He further noted, “The Democratic Party brings up unfavorable court decisions as claims of manipulation and attempts to alter unfavorable laws by relying on numerical strength. A situation where judges and rulings are criticized when they are not favorable, and public opinion is controlled when it is adverse—this leads to the breakdown of the rule of law and common sense, resulting in the nightmare of a one-party regime.” He remarked, “Gyeongnam is the birthplace of the March 15 Spirit. A Gyeongnam that has never stayed quiet in the face of unjust power and constitutional violations must evaluate the Democratic Party’s unlawful destruction of the rule of law in this local election.”
Previously, Oh Se-hoon, the Seoul mayoral candidate from the People Power Party, cautioned the day before, “They have gone beyond the boundary they shouldn’t have. If they ignore our warnings, we must take a stand and make a judgment. We need to protect South Korea from descending into a dictatorship during this local election.” Oh further stated, “Witnessing such near-coup, extreme constitutional actions, it’s as if they are shouting to the public, ‘The president is a criminal.’”
Member of the People Power Party, Park Heong-joon, who is running for mayor of Busan, also spoke out against the previous day’s events, saying, “Is South Korea a nation that exists to provide a pardon for one individual in power? This directly undermines the democratic constitutional system.” Park added, “A special prosecutor appointed by the president with the power to dismiss cases is a statement that the president is above the law. It openly declares, ‘I am the state and the law.’”
The *Act on the Appointment of Special Prosecutors, etc., Concerning Manipulated Prosecutions* seeks to examine if 12 cases, including eight linked to President Lee Jae Myung, were influenced. It gives the special prosecutor the authority to drop charges in the president’s cases. Candidates from the People Power Party are highlighting “judgment of the administration” to energize their supporters and attract undecided voters, focusing on this law that permits the dismissal of charges against President Lee.
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