Justice Minister puts off eval‎uating the Truth and Reconciliation Committee

It was reported on Thursday that South Korean Justice Minister Park Sang-ki considers holding a press conference on the performance of the Prosecution’s Truth and Reconciliation Committee closed by the end of last month.

It has been said that Minister Park sees the need to take a comprehensive review of the committee’s activities over the past 18 months. He ordered the prosecution to establish a committee and gave it the current name.

It is expected that the justice minister will open up a press conference next week at earliest. He may criticize the investigators’ lack of will and lenient punishment for those involved in the prosecution, and call for the introduction of an investigation unit for senior civil servant corruption.

If Park strongly criticizes the prosecution’s investigation on the Truth and Reconciliation Committee’s request for investigations, it will highlight the difference in opinions of Minister Park and Prosecutor-General Moon Moo-il on the investigation right between the prosecution and police, according to experts within and outside the prosecution.

It has been said that Minister Park thinks the scandal regarding former Vice Justice Minister Kim Hak-ui, 63, currently in prison, was not clearly investigated by the prosecution after the committee requested further investigation on the case, failing to mitigate public suspicion.

Minister Park reportedly planned to hold a press conference on Wednesday. However, he put it off saying it is time to review public opinions for some time. It is expected that the justice minister will have a press conference after Prosecutor-General Moon announces his stance on institutional improvements in the activities of the Truth and Reconciliation Committee.


Hyung-Jun Hwang constant25@donga.com