Cho Seung-rae, spokesperson for the State Affairs Planning Committee, delivered a briefing at the committee’s office in Jongno District, Seoul. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, June 20 (Korea Bizwire) – The presidential state affairs committee cut short a policy briefing by the prosecution Friday, instructing it to rewrite its report to better reflect President Lee Jae Myung’s policy pledges, the committee’s spokesperson said.
The move came as the committee, which functions as a de facto government transition committee of the Lee administration, has been receiving policy briefings from government branches and agencies this week to prepare the overall policy blueprint for the newly launched Lee administration.
“The report on the prosecution was halted, and we are in talks to be briefed again,” Cho Seung-rae, spokesperson of the State Affairs Planning Committee, said in a briefing. “There was no proper analysis on the president’s key pledges.”
Lee has accused the prosecution of abusing its powers to conduct politically motivated investigations, vowing to carry out a major overhaul of prosecutorial powers.
During his campaign, Lee pledged to separate its investigative and indictment powers, and introduce a disciplinary system to dismiss prosecutors.
Cho said the prosecution briefed the committee on expanding its authority despite Lee’s pledges, prompting the committee’s members to decide that another briefing should be made Wednesday.
Separate policy briefings by the Korea Communications Commission (KCC), the country’s broadcast watchdog, and the fisheries ministry were also suspended.
For the suspension of the KCC briefing session, Cho cited insufficiently prepared material, and officials’ insincere attitudes and responses to questions by committee members.
As for the ministry, the issue involved the leakage of materials to the public. “Before the policy briefing was even held, the materials were leaked to the media. When a committee official asked for an explanation, the ministry failed to provide a proper response, making the briefing meaningless,” Cho said.
(Yonhap)
