Surgical Strike on 'Yoon Faction' by Chu... Key Aides Scattered (Comprehensive)

[Asia Economy Reporter Song Seung-yoon] On the 8th, the Ministry of Justice abruptly carried out promotions and transfers of senior prosecutors. This is the first personnel action since Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae took office. In this personnel reshuffle, the core aides of Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl, who led the investigation into the Blue House's election interference allegations and the cover-up of the inspection, were largely replaced.

On the 8th, the Ministry of Justice held a Prosecutor Personnel Committee meeting and executed promotions and transfers of 32 senior prosecutors at the level of chief prosecutors, effective from the 13th.

First, all chief prosecutors serving as senior aides at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office were transferred to frontline prosecution offices. Han Dong-hoon, head of the Anti-Corruption and Strong Crime Division and a close aide of Prosecutor General Yoon who led investigations into former Minister of Justice Cho Kuk's family corruption and the suspension of the inspection of former Busan Deputy Mayor Yoo Jae-soo, was transferred to Deputy Chief Prosecutor of Busan High Prosecutors' Office. Park Chan-ho, head of the Public Investigation Division investigating the Blue House election interference allegations, was appointed Chief Prosecutor of Jeju District Prosecutors' Office. Han and Park, regarded as Yoon's right and left arms, had jointly led the 'deep-rooted evils' investigations since Yoon served as Chief Prosecutor of the Central District Prosecutors' Office. With their departure in this reshuffle, disruptions to related investigations have become inevitable.

Lee Won-seok, head of the Planning and Coordination Division at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, was transferred to Deputy Chief Prosecutor of Suwon High Prosecutors' Office, and Kang Nam-il, Deputy Chief Prosecutor of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, moved to Chief Prosecutor of Daejeon High Prosecutors' Office. Cho Sang-joon, head of the Criminal Division at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, was appointed Deputy Chief Prosecutor of Seoul High Prosecutors' Office; Lee Doo-bong, head of the Scientific Investigation Division, became Chief Prosecutor of Daejeon District Prosecutors' Office; Moon Hong-sung, head of the Human Rights Division, was assigned Chief Prosecutor of Changwon District Prosecutors' Office. Noh Jeong-yeon, head of the Trial and Litigation Division, moved to Chief Prosecutor of Jeonju District Prosecutors' Office.

Lee Sung-yoon, Director of the Prosecutor's Office at the Ministry of Justice, was appointed the new Chief Prosecutor of Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office. Lee is an alumnus of Kyung Hee University, like President Moon Jae-in. Shim Jae-chul, First Deputy Chief Prosecutor of Seoul Southern District Prosecutors' Office, and Bae Yong-won, First Deputy Chief Prosecutor of Suwon District Prosecutors' Office, were promoted to chief prosecutors and appointed head of the Anti-Corruption and Strong Crime Division and Public Investigation Division at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, respectively. Noh Jeong-hwan, Deputy Chief Prosecutor of Daejeon High Prosecutors' Office, and Lee Joo-hyung, Deputy Chief Prosecutor of Daegu High Prosecutors' Office, were transferred to head the Trial and Litigation Division and Scientific Investigation Division at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, respectively.

Bae Seong-beom, Chief Prosecutor of Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, was promoted to High Prosecutor and appointed Director of the Judicial Research and Training Institute. Cho Nam-gwan, Chief Prosecutor of Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors' Office, who oversaw the investigation into the cover-up allegations, was appointed Director of the Prosecutor's Office at the Ministry of Justice, a key position.

Additionally, Gu Bon-seon, Chief Prosecutor of Uijeongbu District Prosecutors' Office, was appointed Deputy Chief Prosecutor of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, and Oh In-seo, Chief Prosecutor of Seoul Northern District Prosecutors' Office, was appointed Chief Prosecutor of Daegu High Prosecutors' Office. Park Seong-jin, Chief Prosecutor of Chuncheon District Prosecutors' Office, was appointed Chief Prosecutor of Gwangju High Prosecutors' Office, and Cho Sang-chul, Chief Prosecutor of Seoul Western District Prosecutors' Office, was appointed Chief Prosecutor of Suwon High Prosecutors' Office. Lee Jung-soo, Chief Prosecutor of Bucheon Branch, was promoted to head of the Planning and Coordination Division at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office; Kim Kwan-jung, Chief Prosecutor of Goyang Branch, was promoted to head of the Criminal Division; Lee Soo-kwon, Chief Prosecutor of Busan Eastern Branch, was promoted to head of the Human Rights Division.

Shim Woo-jung, Deputy Chief Prosecutor of Seoul High Prosecutors' Office, moved to Director of Planning and Coordination at the Ministry of Justice; Lee Young-joo, Deputy Director of the Judicial Research and Training Institute, became Planning Director at the Judicial Research and Training Institute; Yoon Dae-jin, Chief Prosecutor of Suwon District Prosecutors' Office, moved to Deputy Director of the Judicial Research and Training Institute.

The Ministry of Justice described this personnel reshuffle as "a routine regular promotion and transfer to fill vacancies at the High Prosecutor level caused by resignations or vacancies and to carry out subsequent transfer measures accordingly."

Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae is arriving at the Ministry of Justice in the Government Complex Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province on the 6th. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

It added, "This personnel action selected prosecutors who have diligently fulfilled their duties at frontline prosecution offices and favored those who have focused on work directly related to people's livelihoods. It presented a rational standard for personnel by conducting fair and balanced evaluations based on job competence without bias toward specific connections, origins, or seniority."

The Ministry of Justice and the prosecution had intense conflicts ahead of the announcement of the chief prosecutor-level personnel on this day. In particular, a sudden truth dispute broke out as the two institutions exchanged rebuttals and counter-rebuttals over the process of hearing opinions on Prosecutor General Yoon's personnel plan. As a result, there were expectations that the announcement might be delayed, but the Ministry of Justice abruptly carried out the personnel reshuffle around 7:30 p.m.

This personnel reshuffle is evaluated as effectively cutting off the limbs of Prosecutor General Yoon's so-called 'Yoon Seok-youl faction,' and a strong backlash within the prosecution, including collective resistance, is expected. Some cautiously predict that a series of resignations in protest may occur. There is also a possibility that procedural issues may be raised regarding the process of hearing Yoon's opinions, which triggered the conflict between the Ministry of Justice and the prosecution on this day.

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