▲ Kim Min-seok, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea (MINJU), speaks at a Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on October 23.
Kim Min-seok, leader of the MINJU Party, stated that "the politicization of the judiciary is destroying public trust in the justice system," referring to Seoul Mayor Oh Sehun being acquitted in an appellate trial on Public Official Election Act charges regarding allegations of proxy payment of polling fees for Myung Tae-kyun.
At a Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly today (October 26), Leader Kim pointed out, "(Regarding the opinion polls,) there is a person who gave money and someone who received it, yet no responsibility whatsoever has been demanded from the person who benefited the most."
He said, "If such a ruling is upheld, indirect political fund support through third parties will become rampant," adding, "The risk of political brokers distorting and manipulating (Distorted) public opinion and interfering in elections through opinion polls has also grown."
He continued, "What is even more concerning is the politicization of the courts," adding, "Both Yoon Suk-yeol and Mayor Oh had their first-instance guilty verdicts overturned by the same appellate panel in the case involving the free provision of Myung Tae-kyun's opinion polls, ultimately receiving acquittals."
He added, "The court must deeply heed the public criticism that it is making political judgments rather than legal ones," asking, "What citizen could accept a reality in which guilt, innocence, and sentencing in major cases shift drastically according to political yardsticks?"
Leader Kim emphasized, "The MINJU Party will thoroughly uncover allegations surrounding Mayor Oh's ties to Myung Tae-kyun and various suspected illegalities in the Seoul municipal administration, and will hold him fully accountable to the very end."
Meanwhile, Leader Kim said, "We declare the upcoming November as a party-wide Month of Public Safety," adding, "In connection with the National Assembly's budget deliberation, we will concentrate our party's full strength on securing measures and budgets to protect the lives and safety of the people."
He added, "We will actively work to secure financial resources necessary to protect the lives and safety of citizens, including firefighting budgets, as well as comprehensive measures for victims of relationship crimes."
(Photo: Yonhap News)
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