Independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon sharply criticized police for opening an investigation into the alleged leak of investigative records related to Kim Seung-won, the nominee for justice minister, asking whether "the police have also decided to become the fangs of the Democratic Party men."
Han made the remarks on Facebook on the 12th, saying, "I have never seen the police move this quickly after receiving a single political complaint with no specific content and no grounds."
He went on to say that Democratic Party leader Kim Min-seok "is mobilizing the police because he barks but lacks the courage to bite," adding sarcastically, "On top of that, the Democratic Party lawmaker they are sending to the police is Lee Jae-myung's Daejang-dong lawyer. I hope they have a lovely romance."
Turning to the police, he asked, "Do you have so little to do at a time when the abolition of supplementary investigations is leaving holes all over public safety?" He stressed, "Trains run even when dogs bark. I will keep going, looking only at the people."
Seoul's Yeongdeungpo Police Station plans to question Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker Kim Dong-a on the 13th as the complainant. Kim filed a complaint against Han on charges including disclosure of official secrets and violations of the Personal Information Protection Act and the Public Records Management Act. Police plan to review whether direct questioning of Han is necessary after completing the complainant interview.
Han had earlier claimed that prosecutors who investigated so-called allegations that Kim Seung-won solicited approval for a new drug clinical trial came under outside pressure and granted Kim a suspension of indictment, a decision not to prosecute, and he released an "indictment plan" drawn up by the prosecution's investigative team at the time. Kim Dong-a then filed a complaint against Han over the alleged illegal leak of investigative records.
