(Seoul = Yonhap News) Reporters Yang Jeong-woo and Cha Min-ji = On the 26th, Minister of Public Administration and Security Yoon Ho-jung refuted the argument that the head of an investigative agency should be prevented from attending the cabinet meeting, saying, "Has the prosecution remained politically neutral for 25 years when the Prosecutor General did not attend the cabinet meeting?"
Minister Yoon made this statement during the comprehensive audit of the National Assembly Public Administration and Security Committee on this day when Rep. Kang Myeong-gu of the People Power Party raised an issue with the attendance of Kim Ji-yong, head of the Central Investigation Agency, and Kim Jong-cheol, acting commissioner of the National Police Agency, at the cabinet meeting.
Rep. Kang argued that they should be prevented from attending cabinet meetings, saying, “If the heads of investigative agencies were sitting and writing dictation on a screen being broadcast live, wouldn’t the public think, ‘If the President gives an order, he will write it down and conduct a biased investigation?’”
Minister Yoon responded, “I do not agree,” and added, “The issue is transparency. If the head of an investigative agency says that he should not be pressured from outside, he should not appear at this meeting (government audit).”
At the same time, he emphasized, "There is a problem with the power that has controlled the investigative agency as it pleases through the Minister of Justice and the Senior Secretary for Civil Affairs or the Senior Secretary for Public Affairs, even without requiring them to attend a cabinet meeting," and added, "I do not agree with saying that it is wrong for the government to publicly and vocally declare that it will not do it."
Regarding media reports that some ministers expressed concerns about the live broadcast of the cabinet meeting at Prime Minister Han Seong-sook's official residence meeting, Minister Yoon said, "I went about 20 minutes before the meeting ended and did not hear what was said before."
Regarding the suspicion that Seoul City is indirectly investing in the Han River bus project through the Seoul Housing and Urban Development Corporation (SH), Minister Yoon said, "We will seek all possible measures, including an accounting audit."
Minister Yoon responded to the point made by Park Joo-min, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, who said, "I hope (Seoul City) will pay attention to prevent illegal acts in a roundabout way through SH."
Based on the request for central review and investment that Seoul submitted to the Ministry of Public Administration and Security, Rep. Park pointed out, "The city of Seoul said that the expected effects of the Han River bus project would be to expand citizens' travel options and improve the convenience of commuting transportation, but not a single bus has ever been operated during rush hour."
At the same time, he raised the issue, saying, "Advertising revenue will suddenly double next year, but if you look at the investment request, there is no mention of how to double advertising revenue." He also raised the issue, saying, "The number of passengers is also the same in the request, but the number of passengers on page 11 and the number of passengers on page 16 do not match at all."
Rep. Park asked, “The Ministry of Public Administration and Security cannot just follow this request. They sent an official document to reconsider, right?”
In response, Minister Yoon explained the reason for the Ministry of Public Administration and Security's decision to reconsider, saying, "Yes, it is virtually disapproval. As you just mentioned, the Seoul Metropolitan Government has put forward a plan to reduce the deficit, but the evidence is too insufficient and the contents are unreliable."
In response to a question from Democratic Party lawmaker Kim Young-bae, who mentioned the Ministry of Public Administration and Security's duty to audit Seoul City, saying that Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon and Seoul city government officials perjured themselves in the last government audit of Seoul City, Minister Yoon also took the position, "An audit is possible for Seoul City. We will review (the audit)."
