Rep. Jeong Seong-ho: "President's Social Media Posts Won't Easily Win Support, Better to Cut Back... Caution Needed on Cho Hee-dae Inquiry"

[Joo Young-jin's News Briefing]

When citing this interview, please credit the program name 'SBS <Joo Young-jin's News Briefing>'. Copyright belongs to SBS.

■ Broadcast: SBS <Joo Young-jin's News Briefing> Mon–Fri (14:00–15:20)
■ Host: Anchor Joo Young-jin
■ Guest: Rep. Jeong Seong-ho, Democratic Party of Korea
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● Interview

Jeong Seong-ho / Rep., Democratic Party of Korea
"Overcrowding in correctional facilities is severe enough to make rehabilitation impossible"
"Cheong Wa Dae seems to be vetting public opinion in advance on Park Gyun-taek and Yang Bu-nam"
"Candidates likely chosen considering communication with the president and ability to resolve pending issues"
"Never discussed 'dropping charges' with the president during tenure as minister"
"Revision of Criminal Procedure Act lacked deliberation due to politicization"
"Resigned believing a fresh perspective was needed after passage of Criminal Procedure Act"
"Deeply worried about 'supplementary investigative powers' — the public ends up suffering"
"Proposes body to thoroughly assess outcomes of prosecution reform"
"Director of Serious Crime Investigation Agency only needs to attend Cabinet meetings when necessary"
"President uses social media out of frustration... ruling party's role is insufficient"
"President will reduce social media use if ministers and ruling party play active roles"
"Considering approval ratings, president would be better off reducing social media posts"
"Cabinet live broadcasts are positive, but physical time is lacking"
"What is needed would be in-depth, closed-door discussions among ministers"
"Excessive political remarks by Choo Mi-ae are undesirable"
"Cho Hee-dae has issues, but parliamentary investigation requires caution"

▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: Until recently, he served as the Minister of Justice. Rep. Jeong Seong-ho of the Democratic Party of Korea joins us today. Welcome. 

▶ Jeong Seong-ho / Rep., Democratic Party of Korea: Hello. 

▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: How long has it been since you stepped down as Minister of Justice? 

▶ Jeong Seong-ho / Rep., Democratic Party of Korea: A little over two months.

▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: Two months. Have you been able to take good care of yourself both physically and mentally during that time?

▶ Jeong Seong-ho / Rep., Democratic Party of Korea: Returning to the National Assembly and regaining my freedom has brought me peace of mind, which is great. I have been exercising a lot lately as well. But, as is always the case, it feels bittersweet. I also feel concerned about various matters that were left unfinished. That is why I visited the Ministry of Justice today, as there was an event for Correctional Services Day. I have had a strong personal interest in correctional administration, so I went to offer encouragement and promised to support various pending issues from the National Assembly, such as budgets and legislation.

▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: Right before stepping down, I believe you visited a prison in person, perhaps Uijeongbu Prison. 

▶ Jeong Seong-ho / Rep., Democratic Party of Korea: I visited correctional facilities three times accompanied by journalists.

▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: Three times? 

▶ Jeong Seong-ho / Rep., Democratic Party of Korea: Because of that, some noted that more news reports regarding corrections were published during my one year as minister than in the entire ten years before I took office.

▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: I saw those articles. The severe overcrowding—

▶ Jeong Seong-ho / Rep., Democratic Party of Korea: It is immense. 

▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: Overcrowding makes summer conditions extremely harsh, but I feel the public's perception upon reading such articles might be quite conflicted.

▶ Jeong Seong-ho / Rep., Democratic Party of Korea: That is true. 

▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: Some may think, "That is too severe, shouldn't something be done?" while others say, "Why should criminals expect such consideration?" I imagine there are these conflicting perspectives.

▶ Jeong Seong-ho / Rep., Democratic Party of Korea: That is what I find most regrettable. Even if someone committed a crime, we should not hate the person. We cannot isolate them forever. If you calculate it, managing a single inmate costs around 30 million won a year. Those individuals must pay the price for their crimes and return to society, but we must rehabilitate them so they do not reoffend. We must guide them onto the right path, and from that standpoint, the current overcrowding in correctional facilities is severe enough to make rehabilitation virtually impossible. 

▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: Such matters require proper attention from the Minister of Justice, yet the post has now been vacant for over two months.

▶ Jeong Seong-ho / Rep., Democratic Party of Korea: It is very regrettable.

▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: Recently, two Democratic Party lawmakers, Rep. Park Gyun-taek and Rep. Yang Bu-nam, have been mentioned as potential candidates. Reports noted that it was quite unusual that Cheong Wa Dae officials did not deny their names. You know both lawmakers well, correct? 

▶ Jeong Seong-ho / Rep., Democratic Party of Korea: I know them well. They are my juniors both in the legal field and in politics, and both are outstanding individuals. However, because it concerns personnel appointments, although reports say Cheong Wa Dae confirmed it, I do not know the precise details. That being said, nominee Kim Seung-won previously withdrew during the confirmation hearing process. So there might also be an aspect of seeking to gauge public opinion in advance. Since both served as chief prosecutors of High Prosecutors' Offices and possess a very clear understanding of judicial administration, I have confidence that either of them would perform capably.

▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: As their names became known, media reports pointed out that both lawmakers share membership in the "Lawmakers' Group for Dropping Indictments." Consequently, critical media reports and opposition claims have emerged arguing that this appointment is designed to drop indictments against President Lee Jae-myung. What are your thoughts on that?

▶ Jeong Seong-ho / Rep., Democratic Party of Korea: The opposition seems to connect everything to dropping indictments whenever anyone chosen has even the slightest connection with the president. Dropping an indictment is not an authority a minister can simply exercise unilaterally; if grounds exist to drop charges, the prosecution would make that determination on its own. In fact, the president and I never discussed such matters even when I was minister.

▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: Is that so? 

▶ Jeong Seong-ho / Rep., Democratic Party of Korea: We discussed and debated other pending state issues. I do not believe the nominations were made because of that. Rather, I think they were considered based on their understanding of the president's governing philosophy, their capacity to resolve pending tasks in judicial administration, and their communication with the president. 

▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: Speaking frankly, since it is now in the past, you cited health issues when offering your resignation. However, beat reporters covering the Justice Ministry, political desks, and Cheong Wa Dae frequently discussed—and I also heard—speculation that Minister Jeong Seong-ho may have felt burdened. That supplementary investigative powers should have somehow been preserved for the public's sake, but were derailed by Democratic Party hardliners, and that the president likely shared Minister Jeong's perspective. Several articles analyzed that you felt regret, frustration, and simultaneous pressure regarding dropping indictments. How would you respond? 

▶ Jeong Seong-ho / Rep., Democratic Party of Korea: First, I felt no burden whatsoever regarding dropping indictments. I had already stated publicly multiple times that I had never considered dropping the charges and had no intention of doing so. During parliamentary sessions, the deputy director and prosecutors at the Prosecution Office clearly affirmed that they had never reviewed such a course of action. I held private, one-on-one meetings with the president on numerous occasions, and frankly, what could the president not say to me? However, I can state unequivocally that we never had any conversation regarding dropping indictments. It was simply that, because the timing of the Criminal Procedure Act revision overlapped with the Democratic Party's national convention, it was turned into a political dispute rather than prosecution reform for the people, resulting in insufficient deliberation. Because the bill was passed under those circumstances, I stepped down believing that a new minister with a fresh perspective should actively address and resolve the issues that arose after its passage.

▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: Regarding supplementary investigative powers under the prosecution reform, the Prosecution Office now lacks supplementary investigative authority, the Serious Crime Investigation Agency and the Prosecution Office have been separated, and the Serious Crime Investigation Agency still appears unready in many aspects to operate properly. Given these discussions, you must feel quite regretful.

▶ Jeong Seong-ho / Rep., Democratic Party of Korea: Beyond feeling regretful, I am deeply concerned.

▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: In the end, won't the public bear the brunt of the harm?

▶ Jeong Seong-ho / Rep., Democratic Party of Korea: Precisely. Our Criminal Procedure Act now provides very strong institutional protections for the human rights of suspects and defendants. What matters now are the victims. The human rights of crime victims must fundamentally be protected, yet I believe deliberation on that front was largely lacking during the revision process. In particular, many problems have already surfaced regarding the submission of evidence during recent trials. An investigator's factual verification report carries no admissibility as evidence. Prosecutors cannot submit those documents. This causes delays, and judges may lack sufficient grounds to make sound judgments. Given these numerous problems, I hope the National Assembly, especially the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, swiftly identifies and rectifies them. I also believe the government should establish a body to thoroughly evaluate the outcomes of prosecution reform and the subsequent process, and devise corresponding countermeasures.

▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: Regarding the Serious Crime Investigation Agency, the issue of Director Kim Ji-yong and the head of the Prosecution Office attending Cabinet meetings as observers has received extensive media coverage recently and sparked political debate. As a former Minister of Justice, how do you view this matter? The president consistently questioned why this would be unconstitutional, arguing that attending would be more transparent and confident, but yesterday he seemed to take a step back, saying, "Please attend only once a month." What are your thoughts?

▶ Jeong Seong-ho / Rep., Democratic Party of Korea: Ultimately, the concern appears to be that having the heads of investigative and prosecutorial agencies attend Cabinet meetings might compromise their independence and political neutrality, or place them under the direct influence of the president's directives. I do not share that concern. They could attend occasionally if discussions involve pending matters such as investigations, civil liberties, or victim recovery. In routine Cabinet meetings, there are very few issues that require their attendance or remarks. Therefore, as the president noted, as the highest elected official, he bears ultimate responsibility for the entire nation. I believe he can certainly request their attendance, but they should simply attend on an as-needed basis when necessary. I do not see it as a major problem. How could that be unconstitutional?

▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: However, regarding the way the president communicates his thoughts to the public on this issue and his reaction to criticisms: Sung Han-yong, a senior reporter for The Hankyoreh, wrote a column asserting that the president is being overly obstinate. Critics say that when hearing such feedback, he could simply address those points, but instead he seems to continually tell the public that his view is correct. That expression was used from that perspective—how would you respond?

▶ Jeong Seong-ho / Rep., Democratic Party of Korea: I believe the ruling party's role is somewhat lacking at present. 

▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: The ruling Democratic Party? 

▶ Jeong Seong-ho / Rep., Democratic Party of Korea: Within the ruling party, are there not many relevant standing committee members, committee chairs, and lawmakers? Ruling party lawmakers need to speak out proactively on the president's national agenda, particularly on pending issues the president is focused on, and cabinet ministers who understand the president well should also make their voices heard. Because progress feels stalled and communication with the public is not flowing smoothly, the president seems to step forward directly out of frustration. In that regard, I believe that if cabinet ministers and relevant ruling party lawmakers voice their stances more actively, the president's direct interventions would naturally decrease. 

▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: Do you consider the president's social media activity excessive? The president even went so far as to call social media his "lifeline." Given that description, do you think it is acceptable for him to continue at this level? 

▶ Jeong Seong-ho / Rep., Democratic Party of Korea: First, I think the president made that remark out of frustration. As I mentioned earlier, if the administration's ministers and National Assembly members assume an active role, I believe the president will naturally cut back.

▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: Isn't it already well known that President Lee Jae-myung actively utilizes social media, dating back to his days as an opposition leader and politician? 

▶ Jeong Seong-ho / Rep., Democratic Party of Korea: Even while serving as mayor and provincial governor, he gained many ideas through direct communication with citizens and utilized it to explain his policies. 

▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: Looking at the balance of benefits and drawbacks, while some assess it was beneficial since it helped him become president, others raise concerns about whether social media brings more advantages or disadvantages for a sitting president.

▶ Jeong Seong-ho / Rep., Democratic Party of Korea: Because the public holds diverse views, if the president directly expresses his personal opinions, it is not easy to secure support exceeding 50 percent, in reality. From that standpoint, I think it might be better for him to cut back a bit. 

▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: Since his job approval ratings have now slipped below 50 percent, public polls would likely reflect that, so scaling back might be preferable. On that subject, as a former Justice Minister who consistently attended Cabinet meetings, how should we view the live broadcasting of Cabinet meetings?

▶ Jeong Seong-ho / Rep., Democratic Party of Korea: I see a great deal of positive value in it. It helps the public see and understand how the government's highest decision-making process operates. While some claim that genuine debate between ministers and the president does not happen well, many ministers actually voice their thoughts freely. In fact, whenever the president asked me, I spoke my mind completely.

▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: Even while being broadcast live? 

▶ Jeong Seong-ho / Rep., Democratic Party of Korea: Yes, I said everything. Furthermore, Minister of Employment and Labor Kim Young-hoon responds very well and speaks up boldly, as does Minister Song Mi-ryung, and Minister of Environment Kim Sung-whan also performs well. However, the physical amount of time is extremely constrained. Because discussion time is insufficient for back-and-forth exchanges, questions and answers center primarily on key pending issues. For matters that truly require thorough examination, I think it would be better for relevant ministers to convene for focused, closed-door discussions. 

▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: Regarding the earlier question of the Serious Crime Investigation Agency director attending as an observer, concerns were raised that if the president questions them on specific matters and they respond, it could exert undue influence.

▶ Jeong Seong-ho / Rep., Democratic Party of Korea: I do not believe the president would inquire about specific ongoing investigations. Rather, if the president asks what measures exist for public safety, they can answer in a general context. In that sense, "pending issues" does not mean specific cases, but broader matters—such as relational crimes, which were mentioned earlier. Having the head of the agency speak directly to the public and having the president share thoughts and opinions on such issues is a positive development, is it not?

▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: On X, President Lee Jae-myung—I prepared this today, though I have not displayed it yet—wrote, "There are also those who hold back prosecution reform by solely asserting ideological purity or making excessively agitational claims for political and personal ends. Provoking anxiety over reform failure and launching agitational attacks to drive it toward failure is irresponsible extremism." President Lee referred to them as the so-called "irresponsible extremists." He added, "If you feel offended because you think you belong to that group, please take a moment to reflect." He posted this on X around midnight yesterday, seemingly referring to the so-called hardliners within the Democratic Party and the ruling camp, whom you also referenced earlier. 

▶ Jeong Seong-ho / Rep., Democratic Party of Korea: Yes, that is correct. 

▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: Is that precisely what the president is thinking? What is your take? 

▶ Jeong Seong-ho / Rep., Democratic Party of Korea: I feel similarly. In any case, I fully concur with those remarks by the president. To speak on prosecution reform, the Lee Jae-myung administration achieved prosecution reform that no previous administration could accomplish.

▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: Indeed, since the traditional prosecution service has been dismantled. 

▶ Jeong Seong-ho / Rep., Democratic Party of Korea: It completely stripped the prosecution of its direct investigative authority. Prosecutors can no longer initiate investigations on their own.

▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: That is true. 

▶ Jeong Seong-ho / Rep., Democratic Party of Korea: And by establishing the Serious Crime Investigation Agency to independently handle major crimes, completely separate even from the Ministry of Justice—in my view, that represented 99 percent of prosecution reform. However, by shifting the framework to the issue of supplementary investigative powers—framing supplementary investigative authority rather than the abolition of direct investigative powers as the essence of reform—there is an aspect where the prosecutorial system itself and its functions are hindered from operating properly. I believe the president is deeply concerned about that, especially since measures to protect crime victims remain very inadequate, and institutional safeguards to prevent substandard or buried investigations by law enforcement agencies have not been established. I believe the president was expressing his determination that more active supplementary measures must be implemented. 

▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: Should the Ministry of Justice be crafting those supplementary measures now?

▶ Jeong Seong-ho / Rep., Democratic Party of Korea: Yes, the Ministry of Justice should be the one to formulate them. 

▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: Things can only progress once a new leader is appointed quickly, which causes some concern. 

▶ Jeong Seong-ho / Rep., Democratic Party of Korea: Yes, that is correct.

▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: Your constituency is located in Gyeonggi Province. Governor Choo Mi-ae recently apologized for her "firefighting straw" remarks, but she has spoken extensively on political matters and prosecution reform, drawing varied reactions. How do you view this, Rep. Jeong? Many are curious about what you might say to her if you meet. 

▶ Jeong Seong-ho / Rep., Democratic Party of Korea: I met her once, but isn't dedicated focus on Gyeonggi provincial administration the foremost priority? As Governor Choo herself mentioned, Gyeonggi Province's fiscal situation is not easy right now. Proper prioritization and discernment are essential. Governor Choo Mi-ae is well known for her strong tenacity. It would be advisable for her to actively communicate with the provincial council, gather the opinions of provincial residents, and prove her capabilities through provincial governance. In any case, as a major metropolitan leader or former chair of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, I believe she is entitled to comment on political issues. However, if it goes too far, it is undesirable. That is why I also attempt to offer such counsel from time to time.

▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: Did you vote in favor of the parliamentary investigation into Supreme Court Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae yesterday? What was your stance? 

▶ Jeong Seong-ho / Rep., Democratic Party of Korea: To be completely frank, I felt it would be burdensome, so I did not attend.

▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: What do you mean by it being burdensome?

▶ Jeong Seong-ho / Rep., Democratic Party of Korea: In any event, I believe the root cause of this entire issue lies with Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae himself. The Supreme Court ruling that occurred right before last year's presidential election—the case remanding the Public Official Election Act violation charges involving then-presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung—was unprecedented. In fact, it caused severe doubts regarding the judiciary's authority, political neutrality, and independence. If his independence and neutrality were called into question afterward, I believe he should have decided on his course of action, yet he did not. Furthermore, the renomination of a Supreme Court justice during that process was also an unprecedented development. No matter how frustrated or challenged he felt, he should have communicated more proactively. The lack of that communication has bred distrust. However, as the anchor is well aware, past parliamentary investigations have largely fizzled out after great fanfare.

▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: That is true. 

▶ Jeong Seong-ho / Rep., Democratic Party of Korea: It is not easy. A parliamentary investigation was previously conducted regarding fabricated indictments, and the public witnessed the outcome. In that regard, I believe we must approach this with greater caution. 

▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: Caution is warranted, yet the parliamentary investigation appears to have already departed the station.

▶ Jeong Seong-ho / Rep., Democratic Party of Korea: In any case, the National Assembly must still vote on it.

▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: Understood. Former Justice Minister Jeong Seong-ho, it is reported that five-term senior lawmakers will be meeting with President Lee Jae-myung soon. Will you be joining them? 

▶ Jeong Seong-ho / Rep., Democratic Party of Korea: I should attend. 

▷ Joo Young-jin / Anchor: Understood. It would have been wonderful to speak with you again after that meeting, but understood. Thank you very much for your insights today.

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※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.