Choo Says Schedule Was Shared to Hear Opinions, Yoon Claims Face-to-Face Meeting Was Rejected... Intensifying Conflict Between Judiciary and Prosecution

Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae is arriving at the Ministry of Justice in the Government Complex Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province, on the 8th, when the Prosecutor Personnel Committee is scheduled to take place. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] The conflict between the Ministry of Justice and the prosecution over the prosecution personnel plan is reaching its peak.

The Ministry of Justice and the prosecution presented different accounts regarding a series of events, including the meeting between Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae and Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol on the 7th, and the Ministry's notification of schedule to Prosecutor General Yoon on the 8th to ask for his opinion ahead of the prosecution personnel committee meeting.

The Ministry of Justice stated that on the morning of the 8th, as soon as Minister Choo arrived at work, she notified Prosecutor General Yoon of the schedule to meet and directly hear his opinions regarding prosecution personnel. With the Ministry’s imminent personnel reshuffle, controversy has arisen over the possibility of 'passing over the Prosecutor General.' The Ministry issued a rebuttal stance on this matter. The Prosecutors' Office Act stipulates that when making prosecution personnel decisions, the Minister of Justice must hear the opinion of the Prosecutor General. The Ministry emphasized this time that it intends to proceed with personnel matters in accordance with legal procedures by adhering to this regulation.

In response, the prosecution immediately issued a rebuttal. They claimed that in reality, the Ministry of Justice refused the prosecution’s request for face-to-face consultation and opinion delivery.

The Supreme Prosecutors' Office stated, "Yesterday, right after Prosecutor General Yoon paid a courtesy visit to Minister Choo upon her inauguration, the Ministry of Justice requested, 'Please prepare the personnel plan first from the prosecution side and send it to the Ministry by the morning of the 8th. The Ministry’s personnel plan has not yet been prepared,' asking vaguely for the prosecution to prepare and send a personnel plan without presenting any principles or directions for personnel."

They added that Prosecutor General Yoon responded to this request by saying, "According to laws and procedures, the Ministry of Justice’s Prosecution Bureau (Article 10 of the Ministry of Justice and its affiliated institutions organization decree), which is the department in charge of prosecutor personnel, should prepare the personnel plan first, and based on that plan, the Minister of Justice should meet the Prosecutor General to hear opinions. After the personnel consultation is completed, the proposal should be submitted to the President. If you send the personnel plan the Ministry is preparing first, we will review it and provide our opinions."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

However, the Supreme Prosecutors' Office emphasized, "The Ministry of Justice refused face-to-face consultation between the Minister of Justice and the Prosecutor General and rejected presenting the personnel plan on the grounds that the Ministry’s personnel plan had not been prepared."

According to the Supreme Prosecutors' Office’s explanation, around 7:30 p.m. the previous day, the Ministry of Justice contacted the Supreme Prosecutors' Office saying, "We have a personnel plan and will deliver it through the prosecution chief by tomorrow (the 8th) morning." However, after 9 p.m., the Deputy Prosecutor General was notified by the Ministry of Justice of the holding of the prosecution personnel committee meeting. On the morning of the day, the Ministry of Justice summoned the Prosecutor General to come to the Ministry by 10:30 a.m.

Regarding this, the Supreme Prosecutors' Office stated, "Calling the Prosecutor General only 30 minutes before the 11 a.m. personnel committee meeting raises concerns that it will be a mere formality," and added, "Respecting the precedent where the Prosecutor General receives the personnel plan in advance from the Ministry of Justice, thoroughly reviews it based on objective data held by the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, and then expresses personnel opinions, we requested that the Ministry send the personnel plan first. The Ministry of Justice has not sent the personnel plan to the Supreme Prosecutors' Office to date."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.