Lawmakers from the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) escalated criticism of the prosecution's decision not to appeal a high-profile development corruption case linked to President Lee Jae Myung, demanding Justice Minister Jung Sung-ho's resignation. The case involves a real estate project in Seongnam during Lee's time as mayor. The PPP alleges the justice ministry pressured the prosecution to forgo the appeal in Lee's favor.
On November 18, 2025, during a rally in front of the justice ministry in Gwacheon, just south of Seoul, PPP leader Jang Dong-hyeok criticized Justice Minister Jung Sung-ho and Vice Justice Minister Lee Jin-soo as "the worst justice minister and vice minister in Korean history." He stated, "They should step down immediately if they have any sense of shame," and urged them to agree to a parliamentary probe and special counsel investigation if they have nothing to hide.
The controversy stems from the prosecution's decision not to appeal a court ruling in a corruption case tied to a real estate development project in Seongnam's Daejang-dong district in 2015, when Lee Jae Myung was the city's mayor. Allegations center on a few obscure private asset management firms, including Hwacheon Daeyu, reaping enormous investment profits from the project.
The PPP accuses the justice ministry of exerting undue pressure on the prosecution to drop the appeal in Lee's favor. The justice minister has denied issuing any instructions that influenced the prosecution's decision. This clash highlights tensions between the ministry and prosecutors, raising questions about judicial independence in South Korea's political landscape.