Park Se-hyun rumored to have close school ties with PPP leader

The prosecution, which is investigating President Yoon Suk Yeol's illegal declaration of martial law, has accelerated the investigation by arresting former Minister of National Defense Kim Yong-hyun on charges of treason and other charges on Sunday, but the opposition party is calling for the investigation to be carried out by the police and special prosecutors. There is also growing controversy over the fact that Seoul High Prosecutors' Office Director Park Se-hyun (photo), who headed the Emergency Martial Law Special Investigation Headquarters, is a high school and university alumni of People Power Party leader Han Dong-hoon.

After graduating from Seoul Hyundai High School and Seoul National University Law School, Park joined the prosecution service with the 29th class of the Judicial Research and Training Institute. In other words, he attended the same schools as Han. “It is questionable that President Yoon and Han might have engaged in a secret agreement. The prosecution is conducting an unjust investigation even though treason is not even included in the prosecution’s work scope,” said Cho Kuk of the Rebuilding Korea Party. "We have the circumstances to suspect the motive and background (regarding the investigation guidelines),” said Kim Min-seok, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea's Supreme Council, of Park.

In particular, the Democratic Party is arguing that Park should not serve as the head of the headquarters, citing that he did not order a re-investigation into the suspicion of 'instigating a whistleblower' in which President Yoon was suspected of being involved when he was head of the Seoul High Prosecutors' Office's criminal department. Still, some say that it is difficult to say that Park is close to President Yoon and Han. “We are conducting the investigation strictly in accordance with laws and principles, regardless of rank,” said Park in a briefing on Sunday. “We hope the public will watch us with trust.”


최미송 기자 cms@donga.com