Police launch probe into Yoo Si-min over ‘Lee deceived the public’ remark; question complainant

[Financial News] Police have launched an investigation into writer Yoo Si-min, who criticized President Lee Jae-myung’s prosecution reform plan, saying, “The president has deceived the public all this time.”
According to police and other sources on the 19th, the Public Crime Investigation Unit of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency’s Metropolitan Investigation Unit summoned Kim Hanme, head of Citizens’ Action for Establishing Judicial Justice (Judicial Justice Civic Action), as the complainant this morning and is questioning them.
On the 28th of last month, Judicial Justice Civic Action filed a complaint with the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency against Yoo, alleging defamation by stating false facts under the Information and Communications Network Act.
The remarks at issue were made by Yoo when he appeared on a Media Today YouTube program on the 22nd of last month and criticized President Lee’s approach to prosecution reform.
At the time, Yoo said of the separation of investigation and prosecution, “The prosecution reform the president had in mind was completely different from what we had thought,” adding, “The president has deceived the public all this time.” He also said, regarding President Lee’s description of separating investigative and prosecutorial agencies within the Ministry of Justice as his original prosecution reform plan, “I had never heard him say anything like that, not even once.”
Judicial Justice Civic Action argues that Yoo’s remarks differ from objective facts, since President Lee had previously expressed the view that the agencies responsible for investigation and prosecution should be separated.
Last month, the Blue House also said of Yoo’s remarks, “We regret the distortion of the president’s commitment to prosecution reform in a way that does not reflect the facts.” However, it made clear that “nothing has been decided” about whether to take legal action against Yoo.
[email protected] Choi Seung-han Reporter