[Prosecutorial Credibility]
One hundred members of the National Assembly had succumbed to the prosecution's threats, feigning illness to avoid attending the extraordinary session. This meant one thing: these hundred individuals definitely had skeletons in their closets. Furthermore, after reviewing the secret files from the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, including those of the Deputy Prosecutor General, the nature of their crimes was laid out in clear, systematic detail.
"Wow, these bastards really had no choice but to bow down to the prosecution."
If it had been anything trivial, YS might have just let it slide. But the hundred assemblymen on this list were riddled with such severe flaws that they couldn't simply be covered up.
"I think I understand why you ordered a suspension of indictment."
At YS's words, Yoon-gi nodded. "Because if I had chosen a suspension of prosecution or a dismissal of charges, it would have been effectively impossible to re-indict them later."
Legal terminology often confuses the average person. A suspension of indictment means the crime is acknowledged, but the person is given a pass for now. A dismissal of charges—or more accurately, a withdrawal of indictment—happens when a prosecutor has already filed charges but decides there's no chance of winning and pulls the case. However, since a withdrawal of indictment is a massive blow to a prosecutor's career, it isn't common. Finally, there is the suspension of prosecution. This isn't a definitive "end" to the case, but rather, as the name suggests, a temporary pause for a specific reason—for instance, if the criminal's whereabouts have become unknown. Because of this, the prosecution could be resumed at any time.
The indictments against these assemblymen weren't being dismissed or permanently deferred. They were merely suspended. Therefore, once the indictments were resumed, these hundred assemblymen would face punishment without any legal hurdles. Of course, the timing would be after next year's general election. If he indicted them now, these hundred people would undoubtedly cause a scene, and there was no benefit to creating a hundred unnecessary enemies when the relationship between South Korea and Japan was already so volatile. Just as drinking soda too quickly leads to uncomfortable burping, it’s better to consume it at the right pace to truly enjoy it.
"Either way, these hundred won't have an easy time getting re-elected in the next general election. If we leak the facts of the indictment, their approval ratings will plummet."
YS was right. To indict someone, you must present the fact that a crime occurred along with the evidence. When the prosecution indicted these assemblymen, they naturally presented the case and the evidence. Of course, they hadn't released everything perfectly; they had only given a small taste of it.
But right now, Yoon-gi had the complete data on exactly what those hundred people had done. Therefore, if he resumed the indictments based on this data during the upcoming general election season, these people would inevitably lose their seats on their own.
"Hmm..."
A sudden groan escaped N. Yoon-gi and YS turned to look at him.
"What is the matter?"
At YS's question, N let out a sigh. "Ah... it's this case here."
The file N held up was related to Assemblyman Kim Ki-sang.
"Hit-and-run death...?" YS carefully read the headline and began to scan the document.
"Honestly, I'm shocked. I can't believe Assemblyman Kim Ki-sang did something like this. He’s such a sound individual..."
"Hmm... I know Assemblyman Kim Ki-sang as well. He's a decent person among the ruling party members. I can't believe something like this happened..."
The file stated that Assemblyman Kim Ki-sang had been driving on a road in Gangwon Province in the middle of the night when he struck a person and fled the scene. Naturally, the victim died. Of course, this was only in the prosecution's secret files; in the actual public records, the case had been closed as a crime committed by an unknown perpetrator.
"He’s been incredibly cooperative and is a decent assemblyman, yet he committed a hit-and-run..."
N continued to lament. Yoon-gi took the file from YS and began to read it himself.
'Hmm... it feels like there’s a lot of room for manipulation here.'
Since the road was built along a mountain, it was extremely dark at night, and since it was a moonless night at the time, it was even darker. Furthermore, the incident occurred at 2:00 AM.
'Come to think of it, I saw news about the prosecution fabricating cases all the time back when I was a laborer. If the prosecution's case fabrication were to hit the media in the current situation? It would be much more efficient in many ways.'
Yoon-gi nodded, thinking he should ask YS to meet with Han Bon-chan once more.
"Hmm, the citron tea is delicious today as well. Is it the same one from last time?"
"Yes, it is the exact one you had before."
"High-quality goods are always the best."
It was a jar of citron jam that cost 1,500 won at the market, but what did it matter? The other party thought it was high-quality. So, YS continued the conversation without breaking the mood.
"How is the atmosphere in the prosecution these days?"
"It's very comfortable. After all, isn't loyalty mostly determined by the leader's power? As long as they know I can control them, there won't be any high-ranking prosecutors rebelling against me."
Han Bon-chan's words were quite insightful regarding reality. It was true that there weren't many people who remained loyal to the end when a leader lost their power. On the other hand, even if someone was a person you previously thought was a total bastard, if they suddenly treated you very well, it was entirely possible to maintain a decent relationship. Because of this, Han Bon-chan was able to maintain the power of the Prosecutor General for reasons different from before.
"Ho-ho, that's fortunate."
"Even if the principle of aggravated punishment has changed to concurrent punishment, the jeon-gwan-ye-u (preferential treatment for former officials) hasn't been completely trashed. People with only one charge will still look for a lawyer who benefits from that treatment. And even if they have multiple charges, they will still seek it out. If a lawyer can get a fine for all ten charges, even if there are ten items, wouldn't that be valuable?"
"Ho-ho, but why did the Deputy Prosecutor General and the others rebel?"
Han Bon-chan gave a bitter smile, as if he understood them. "It's true that things are becoming incredibly difficult. It’s true that the blow is significant in many ways, which is why they rose up."
"Hmm, so those who are currently loyal to you, Prosecutor General, weren't the mainstream in the prosecution originally."
"You saw that correctly. From the perspective of the guys I've newly placed in those positions, they are grateful and can be loyal to me."
"You are quite cold-blooded yourself, Prosecutor General? Hahaha."
As YS burst into laughter, the Prosecutor General also laughed.
"Hahahaha! If I weren't like this, how could I survive in this wilderness?"
Even if they weren't good people, it wasn't a problem as long as they could be controlled. That was why YS liked that Han Bon-chan’s mind worked well. If he had been forced to take on an incompetent person as an ally, it would have been incredibly exhausting. Furthermore, thanks to Han Bon-chan being a capable person, he could look forward to answers to the questions he was about to ask.
"Come to think of it, there is one thing I am curious about."
"What is it?"
Han Bon-chan waited for YS's question with a very friendly expression.
"It's nothing else, but the prosecution's case files."
"Ah, are you talking about the ones you confiscated from the Deputy Prosecutor General this time?"
"Yes. Those files, is there any possibility that they are fabricated?"
"There are two types of fabrication, which type are you referring to?"
"Yes? Two types?"
At YS's counter-question, Han Bon-chan immediately began to explain.
"The first type of fabrication means the file itself is fake, and the second type means the case was manipulated to frame the assemblymen."
"Ah, the second one. The second one!"
Thanks to Han Bon-chan's explanation, YS was able to ask exactly what he was curious about.
"There is probably a 100 percent chance. Actually, it's common, isn't it? Case fabrication by the prosecution and police. Well... I know better than anyone that it's not something to be proud of..." Han Bon-chan said, wetting his lips slightly with his tongue.
"Ah... come to think of it..."
It was only a year ago that it was the military regime of JD. How many cases had the prosecution and police fabricated back then to strengthen the regimes of P and JD? Of course, while it was done under the orders of P and JD, history had already proven that case fabrication existed.
'I was looking at the situation separately for a moment.'
YS, who had known this from the beginning but had been so happy with his current situation that he had momentarily forgotten, put on a serious expression and asked Han Bon-chan.
"Is there any possibility that this case was also fabricated?"
Han Bon-chan, who had checked the file, opened his mouth cautiously.
"I cannot guarantee that it was fabricated, but..."
Han Bon-chan frowned once and continued.
"It is true that this kind of case is the easiest to fabricate."
"Why is that?"
"Because there were no witnesses, it was dark, and the car driving behind Assemblyman Kim Ki-sang happened to be a prosecutor's investigator's car."
'Why was the prosecutor's investigator driving on a mountain road at 2:00 AM?'
Yoon-gi's dilemma. This was the most suspicious part of the Kim Ki-sang case.
'Is it a coincidence?'
It could really be a coincidence. But what are the odds that the person who got out of the car right behind him after he caused a traffic accident was a prosecutor's investigator?
[Suddenly, a loud bang is heard, and Assemblyman Kim Ki-sang's car slams on the brakes and stops.]
[The prosecutor's investigator, who was driving behind Assemblyman Kim Ki-sang, also stops his car in a hurry and gets out.]
[Assemblyman Kim Ki-sang and the prosecutor's investigator discover a blood-soaked corpse lying on the road.]
[The prosecutor's investigator offers to cover up the accident for Assemblyman Kim Ki-sang; Kim Ki-sang follows the investigator's words, gets into the investigator's car, and leaves the area.]
The report stated that Assemblyman Kim Ki-sang and the prosecutor's investigator had confirmed the body together.
'Well, he wouldn't have been so easily blackmailed if he hadn't even seen the body himself.'
The prosecution had not scrapped Assemblyman Kim Ki-sang's car at the time but had kept it. It was precious evidence that they might need to use at any moment.
'In the end, through that incident, Assemblyman Kim Ki-sang became a person who had to cooperate with the prosecution at any time, and this was that time, right?'
In fact, Assemblyman Kim Ki-sang had feigned illness during the extraordinary session and did not attend.
'But there is still something that bothers me.'
Yoon-gi entered the charnel house for the unclaimed and looked for the urn where the victim of the case was resting. Choi Deok-bae confirmed that the grudge of the victim still remained and felt Yoon-gi's luck once again. Of course, Yoon-gi hadn't come with absolute certainty. It was more of a "good if it's there, if not, then oh well" kind of situation. But luckily, the victim's spirit was wandering near their urn.
'It's a grudge, right?'
Having heard the answer, Yoon-gi took a photo of Assemblyman Kim Ki-sang out of his pocket and showed it to the spirit.
[.........]
The spirit showed no reaction.