Song Eon-seok, floor leader of South Korea’s People Power Party, speaks during a party strategy meeting at the National Assembly in Seoul on Friday. Photo by Asia Today
March 13 (Asia Today) — A senior opposition leader said Friday that allegations of pressure to drop criminal charges linked to aides of President Lee Jae-myung could amount to grounds for impeachment if proven true.
Song Eon-seok, floor leader of the conservative People Power Party, made the remarks during a party strategy meeting at the National Assembly.
Song cited claims made by journalist Jang In-soo during a YouTube broadcast hosted by political commentator Kim Eo-jun.
According to Song, the journalist alleged that a senior government official close to the president conveyed messages to several prosecutors asking them to drop charges in a case related to Lee.
“If such allegations are true, it would constitute grounds for impeachment of the president,” Song said.
Song also accused Justice Minister Jeong Seong-ho of acknowledging remarks that could be interpreted as pressure on prosecutors.
He argued that any attempt by a sitting minister to influence decisions about dropping charges would represent an abuse of authority and could justify impeachment proceedings against the minister.
The People Power Party is considering introducing an impeachment motion against Jeong as early as next week, according to party officials.
Opposition lawmakers also criticized recent judicial reform legislation passed by the National Assembly under the ruling party’s leadership.
Kim Eun-hye, a senior policy deputy floor leader of the People Power Party, said the justice minister should serve as a guardian of the rule of law rather than “a shield for a single individual.”
She argued that the allegations involving pressure on prosecutors and the judicial reform bills could undermine the independence of the judiciary.
Meanwhile, the ruling Democratic Party filed a defamation complaint Thursday against journalist Jang In-soo over the allegations raised during the YouTube broadcast.
— Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI
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Original Korean report: https://www.asiatoday.co.kr/kn/view.php?key=20260313010004004