Audit chief faces impeachment amid political clash

[Anchor]

Hello.

This is KBS 9 o'clock news.

An unprecedented impeachment motion against the head of the Board of Audit and Inspection was reported to the National Assembly today (12.2).

An impeachment motion against three prosecutors, including the Chief Prosecutor of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, was also submitted.

The People Power Party urged to stop the retaliatory impeachment.

The first report is by reporter Jeon Hyun-woo.

[Report]

["Impeachment motion against Board of Audit and Inspection head Choi Jae-hae…."]

The first impeachment motion against the head of the Board of Audit and Inspection in constitutional history has been reported to the National Assembly.

The Democratic Party pointed out that Choi's statement that "the audit supports state affairs" undermined his independent status in his duties and that he targeted the previous government for political purposes through audits.

They also mentioned the loss of fairness due to inadequate audits related to the relocation of the presidential office and the refusal to submit materials requested by the National Assembly.

[Yoon Jong-kun/Democratic Party Spokesperson: "There are enough illegalities to warrant prosecution…."]

Additionally, impeachment motions against three prosecutors, including Lee Chang-soo, chief of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, Jo Sang-won, Deputy Chief Prosecutor, and Choi Jae-hoon, Head of the Anti-Corruption Division 2, were reported.

The inadequate investigation and non-prosecution regarding the allegations of First Lady Kim Keon-hee's involvement in the 'Deutsche Motors stock manipulation case' were presented as grounds for impeachment.

["Whose impeachment is this? Stop the retaliatory impeachment."]

The People Power Party strongly opposed it, calling it 'the retaliatory politics of the Democratic Party.'

They stated, "The retaliatory politics of DP leader Lee Jae-myung is unfolding endlessly through budget cuts and the rampant use of impeachment" and directed their criticism towards National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik.

[Choo Kyung-ho/People Power Party Floor Leader: "If the National Assembly Speaker facilitates the processing according to the Democratic Party's wishes, I believe there is no longer a reason for the Speaker to exist."]

Minister of Justice Park Sung-jae described it as an illegal and unjust political offensive and suggested that they should rather impeach him instead.

[Park Sung-jae/Minister of Justice: "I believe that some criticism and political pressure are the fate of the prosecution in the process of eradicating evil, and I always accept it and work. However, if this impeachment continues, it will prevent normal prosecutors from performing their duties…."]

The vote on the impeachment motion will take place the day after tomorrow (12.4).

The confrontation between the ruling and opposition parties over the unprecedented impeachment of the head of the Board of Audit and Inspection and the subsequent impeachment of prosecutors is expected to intensify.

This is KBS News, Jeon Hyun-woo.