Former MBC reporter Jang In-soo raises suspicions of a "prosecution withdrawal deal" on a radio show. [Photo = YouTube capture]

The controversy surrounding a potential deal to withdraw a prosecution is spreading throughout the political sphere, as the Democratic Party of Korea has filed a complaint against former MBC reporter Jang In-soo, who raised allegations of such a deal.

The issue is escalating into a political dispute, with civic groups initiating further complaints and opposition parties calling for a special prosecutor investigation.

The Democratic Party stated that Jang In-soo's allegations of a prosecution withdrawal deal, raised on a recent YouTube broadcast, are factually incorrect and announced it would file a complaint with the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency for defamation based on false information.

The Democratic Party asserted, "Prosecution withdrawal is not an issue that can be resolved through a deal, and the remarks constitute a separate claim that defames the reputation of the President and the government."

The Democratic Party has named Jang In-soo as the target of the complaint, excluding Kim Eo-jun, who hosted the broadcast. The party also indicated it is considering further actions, such as lodging a complaint with the Korea Communication Standards Commission and requesting deliberation by the Korea Communications Commission.

Complaints from civic groups have also followed. The Civic Action for Justice (SAJ) jointly filed a complaint against Jang In-soo and Kim Eo-jun, claiming they "obstructed the work of public institutions by spreading false information."

Opposition parties are intensifying their offensive, characterizing the incident as a matter requiring a special prosecutor.

Jang Dong-hyuk, a representative of the People Power Party, speaks at a supreme council meeting held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on March 12, 2026. [Photo = Yonhap News]

Jang Dong-hyuk, a representative of the People Power Party, mentioned the possibility of pursuing a special prosecutor, stating, "If the allegations of a political deal related to the prosecution withdrawal are true, it is a grave matter equivalent to state corruption."

Joo Jin-woo, a member of the People Power Party, also stated, "This is the 'Lee Jae-myung Prosecution Withdrawal Gate'," and argued, "Internal revelations from the ruling party are highly credible, and the truth must be revealed through a special prosecutor."

The controversy began when Jang In-soo stated on a YouTube broadcast that "a high-ranking government official contacted prosecutors and mentioned the issue of withdrawing the prosecution in the President's case."

However, the source of the remark and the specific speaker have not been disclosed.

The political circles are focusing not only on the truthfulness of the statement but also on its political ramifications.

While the ruling party emphasizes legal action against false claims, the opposition party is calling for a special prosecutor to investigate the truth.

Consequently, the controversy over the alleged prosecution withdrawal deal is expected to spread further depending on future investigations and political disputes.

[Online Reactions] "Regardless of who said it, wasn't there an attempt at a deal?"

As the controversy over the prosecution withdrawal deal spreads, various reactions are emerging in the comments section of related news articles.

Many online comments question the structure of the incident itself rather than the identity of the speaker.

"Someone, whether it's Jang In-soo or the Blue House, must have contacted the prosecution."

"Why would the issue of withdrawing the President's prosecution come up?"

Comments like these have drawn attention, questioning the background behind the emergence of the prosecution withdrawal discussion itself.

There were also numerous comments expressing distrust in the political establishment.

"Isn't this just using the President's name?"

"Did they get caught trying to make a deal within the political circles?"

such reactions followed.

Meanwhile, as the opposition party mentioned the possibility of a special prosecutor,

"If it's true, it should be revealed through a special prosecutor."

"It can be confirmed through an investigation."

demands for uncovering the truth also emerged.

Amidst the ongoing political disputes, online public opinion shows greater interest in "what happened" rather than "who said it."