“A 38-billion-won legal team for President Lee, paid for with taxpayers’ money” ... Han Dong-hoon slams the “Special Counsel Act on Fabricated Prosecution”

[Financial News] Independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon sharply criticized the so-called Special Counsel Act on Fabricated Prosecution, which is set to take effect soon, saying, “It would use taxpayers’ money to assemble a 38-billion-won legal team for President Lee Jae Myung alone,” and calling it “effectively, embezzlement of 38 billion won in public funds.”
On the 8th, Han posted on Facebook under the title, “‘Lee Jae Myung’s privilege law,’ which has taxpayers cover 38 billion won in Lee Jae Myung’s legal fees—in effect, ‘embezzlement of 38 billion won in public funds.’”
He argued, “The claim that the prosecution was fabricated is something President Lee Jae Myung should pursue in the ongoing trial by hiring a private attorney with his own money. Instead, they intend to do it for him under the name of a special counsel, spending 38 billion won in taxpayers’ money.”
He went on to say, “It spends several times more taxpayer money than other special counsel laws,” adding, “Just as nobody could answer when I asked during a Budget and Accounts Committee hearing, ‘What exactly was fabricated?’, they obviously don’t even know what to investigate and will be drawing salaries while twiddling their thumbs, yet they say they’ll spend 38 billion won in taxpayers’ money.”
According to a cost estimate prepared last May by the National Assembly Budget Office (NABO) for the Special Counsel Act on Fabricated Prosecution, which investigates allegations that prosecutors under the Yoon Suk Yeol administration fabricated prosecutions, a total of 38.056 billion won would be needed to appoint the special counsel and carry out its duties.
The estimated costs break down into 15.503 billion won for the special counsel team’s personnel, 15.199 billion won for operating expenses, 1.504 billion won for facilities, and 5.851 billion won for office rent. NABO said it based its calculations on expenses incurred by the Kim Keon Hee special counsel team.
However, the estimate does not reflect changes to staffing and other details made during the National Assembly’s deliberations. It assumed six special counsel deputies, 150 special investigators and 30 prosecutors assigned to the team, but the staffing levels under the Special Counsel Act on Fabricated Prosecution as finally passed changed to eight deputies, 70 special investigators and 20 assigned prosecutors. As a result, the actual costs are expected to differ somewhat from the estimate. The investigation period is up to 200 days, including a 20-day preparation period.
[email protected] Kim Su-yeon Reporter