The South Korean government is in desperate need of diplomatic support from the United States because the country is under constant threat from North Korea. One issue creating resistance to more U.S. support for the government of South Korea is an allegation that President Lee Jae Myung and South Korean prosecutors are not treating the business community nor political opposition parties properly. South Korea needs to do a better job of following the rule of law to satisfy many in the United States that South Korea is worthy of strong support.
The left leaning President was sworn in in June of this year and ran a campaign on providing a universal basic income for all and was hostile to private business interests. One issue that the president should focus on is to reign in the prosecutors who wield immense power. The U.S.-Asia Law Institute’s Jaewoong Yoon wrote about current reforms and concluded that these reforms mark, “the outcome of decades of debate over prosecutorial overreach, political influence, and the need to realign Korea’s criminal justice system with democratic principles of checks and balances. The once formidable authority of prosecutors in criminal cases will be significantly reduced.” This change was needed because of a South Korean prosecutor’s office that has indicted a large number of political figures and businessmen.
On the political side, the current president is investigating his predecessor – sound familiar? The Korea Heraldreported on June 23, 2025, “South Korea is set to begin an unprecedented trio of special counsel investigations into former President Yoon Suk Yeol, his wife Kim Keon Hee, and the death of a Marine during Yoon’s term.”
Major crimes previously investigated directly by prosecutors will now fall under the jurisdiction of the SCIA, while the PPS will focus solely on prosecution, including decisions on indictment, courtroom advocacy, and warrant applications. Similar reorganizations will take place at the provincial and municipal levels.
- Political Investigations: The current political climate involves extensive investigations and indictments against opposition leader Lee Jae-myung and key figures from the previous Moon Jae-in administration. Simultaneously, the current President Yoon Suk Yeol (now former president as of Nov/Dec 2025 in the search results timeline) and his wife, Kim Keon-hee, are facing multiple special counsel investigations and trials themselves over alleged corruption, abuse of power, and involvement in a martial law declaration.
- Prosecutorial Power and Reform: South Korea’s prosecution service has historically held significant power, acting as both investigator and indictor, leading to it being called a “prosecutorial republic”. There are ongoing efforts by the current ruling party to pass legislation to dismantle the existing prosecution structure and separate investigative and indictment powers to curb potential abuse of authority.
- High-Profile Cases:
- Former President Yoon Suk Yeol: Faces charges of insurrection, abuse of power, and espionage related to a martial law declaration and a drone incident involving North Korea.
- Opposition Leader Lee Jae-myung: Has been the target of aggressive, wide-ranging investigations by prosecutors under the Yoon administration.
- Kim Keon-hee (Yoon’s wife): Is under arrest and facing charges of bribery and stock-market manipulation.
- Former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo: Is on trial for charges including aiding an insurrection and perjury.
Beyond political cases, authorities are conducting specific crackdowns on various criminal activities, including a new joint investigation headquarters to target a surge in youth drug offenses and the busting of a large-scale illegal moneylending ring that exploited migrant workers.
The perception of “targeted prosecutions” is a major point of political conflict in South Korea, with both sides accusing the other of using the justice system for political gain.
South Korea is in a difficult geopolitical situation. The nation of Korea was divided after World War II with the old Soviet Union occupying the north of Korea and the United States occupying the south. In 1950, North Korea invaded South Korea sparking a war that ended in 1953, but with continued hostilities up to today. The South has engaged in an embrace of free markets and trade with the West that resulted in a high standard of living.
Today, the South Korean government needs the support of the United States to avoid a second Korean War. ABC News reported on November 17, 2025, that “South Korea’s military says it has been firing warning shots to repel North Korean troops who violated the border’s military demarcation line numerous times since they began engaging in work to boost front-line defenses last year.” The South Korean government has proposed talks to avoid an accidental armed clash.
In this time of crisis, South Korea has given away diplomatic capital it could use to get more support from the United States, because they have had some domestic problems with discrimination against successful members of society. One of the great strengths of South Korea is the soft power the nation projects through entertainment. One of the most well-known entertainment exports is the K-Pop act BTS that was created by the company HYBE and the company’s creator Bang Si-hyuk.
The problem is that there is a pattern of targeted persecution by the South Korean judicial system.