"Erasing deep-rooted evils" stamped on a ballot box. The special prosecutor's search and seizure is interpreted as a political gamble targeting the judiciary and the election cycle. HanmiIlbo Graphic

The special prosecutor investigating Kim Keon-hee recently searched and seized assets of Maeil Business Newspaper (Mae-gyeong) and the Jeong Jin-ki Foundation. While the stated reason is allegations of job recommendation, analysis suggests the underlying motive lies elsewhere.

The act of revisiting the MBN business suspension case, which has already been concluded by the Supreme Court, goes beyond a mere investigation and could be a hidden card aimed at the background of the judicial ruling and its political repercussions.

The golden turtle (also referred to as a golden toad by some) and congratulatory letter, reportedly delivered to Mrs. Kim Keon-hee, were symbolic elements of the case. However, given Mrs. Kim Keon-hee's existing acquaintance with former National Education Committee Chairwoman Lee Bae-yong, it seemed unlikely the special prosecutor could easily prove allegations of job recommendation.

Yet, Director Jung Hyun-hee has now been included as a subject of the investigation. This raises speculation that the special prosecutor may have uncovered questionable financial flows between Ms. Lee and Ms. Jung.

In this regard, a legal professional commented, "In a situation where Mrs. Kim and former Chairwoman Lee already had contact, using a third party as a link appears to be an attempt to broaden the grounds for the investigation."

Ultimately, the search and seizure warrant is interpreted as a measure reflecting the special prosecutor's intention to connect the origin of the golden turtle to the Mae-gyeong case.

If the golden turtle was personal funds, the case would have remained focused on job recommendation allegations. However, if foundation funds were involved, the case would be elevated to allegations that media and foundation funds were used for power-backed job recommendations.

At this point, the focus of the investigation naturally shifts to the MBN case, which involved the Korea Communications Commission's six-month business suspension in November 2020, the dismissal of the initial ruling by the Seoul Administrative Court in November 2021, and the reversal of the second ruling by the Seoul High Court in August 2022.

Beyond the simple question of who gave the golden turtle, the core issue could become whether Mae-gyeong contacted power figures or utilized foundation funds for lobbying during the trial.

If the special prosecutor's gaze turns towards the judiciary, the next step would be searching the phone records and work diaries of the judges at the time, as well as the judicial chambers. However, the fact that the court is the issuing authority for warrants creates a dilemma.

A lawyer from a large law firm, Lawyer A, analyzed, "Whether the court issues or dismisses the warrant, the judiciary cannot escape political pressure. This is ultimately the frame the ruling party desires." Indeed, if a warrant is issued, the court faces controversy over undermining judicial independence; if it is dismissed, it risks backlash for protecting its own.

Lawyer B, a former chief judge, expressed concern, stating, "If this investigation targeting the judiciary expands into a political battlefield, the court will face an unprecedented test between independence and responsibility."

In this unfolding scenario, the ruling party stands to gain significantly.

First, it aims to secure the justification for judicial reform while simultaneously pressuring Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae to resign. If allegations of judicial lobbying come to the fore, Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae, as the head of the Supreme Court, cannot escape political responsibility.

Second, it aims for an advantage in public opinion leading up to the local elections in June next year. Debates over judicial reform can be combined with the "erasing deep-rooted evils" frame, serving as a familiar political weapon for the ruling party. If allegations of collusion between Mae-gyeong and the judiciary surface, conservative opposition parties will be put on the defensive, and the ruling party will gain a powerful card to rally voters.

A key official from the ruling party asserted, "This search and seizure is a legitimate measure to expose the cartel between the judiciary and media power," while a figure from the opposition party countered, "The special prosecutor is abusing separate investigations as a political tool ahead of the local elections."

Ultimately, this search and seizure transcends a job recommendation case to become a political gamble targeting the judiciary and the media. What the ruling party seeks is to pressure the Cho Hee-dae judiciary and shift the dynamics of the local elections. Regardless of the judiciary's choice, political repercussions are inevitable. Furthermore, this case is becoming a turning point, testing whether the judiciary can maintain its independence amidst the turbulence of power or will be swayed by political pressure.

#KimKeonHeeSpecialProsecutor #MaeGyeongSearchAndSeizure #GoldenTurtleAllegations #JeongJinKiFoundation #MBNCase #ChoHeeDaeJudiciary #JudicialReform #LocalElections2025 #RulingPartyStrategy #PoliticalGamble