The Legislation and Judiciary Committee Without Chu Mi-ae and the Democratic Party... Opposition Lawmakers Continue Criticism of 'Prosecutor Personnel Appointments'

On the 10th, at the Judiciary Committee plenary meeting held at the National Assembly, Liberty Korea Party members made condemnatory remarks regarding the recently executed personnel changes in the Ministry of Justice. Minister Choo Mi-ae did not attend the meeting as no agreement was reached between the ruling and opposition parties. Photo by Yoon Dong-ju doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] On the 10th, at the Legislation and Judiciary Committee (Law Committee) meeting held at the National Assembly, criticism of the prosecution personnel appointments continued with only opposition party members attending, while Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae and Democratic Party members were absent.

Lee Eun-jae, a member of the Liberty Korea Party, criticized, "Concerns have become reality," stating, "Minister Choo has indiscriminately demoted senior prosecution officials who have been investigating allegations of the Blue House's interference in the Ulsan mayoral election, including the Deputy Chief Prosecutor and the Head of the Anti-Corruption Department. This is a prosecution massacre that could only happen in a dictatorship." Earlier, on the 8th, Minister Choo had carried out a high-level prosecution personnel reshuffle, cutting a large number of close aides of Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl, known as the 'Yoon Seok-youl faction.'

Lee said, "Is there really fairness and justice in this administration? The president's personnel authority, elected by the people, is not unlimited power but only possible within the framework of the Constitution," and pointed out, "If this is a retaliatory personnel action for investigating the living power, it clearly violates the spirit of the Constitution."

Joo Kwang-deok, a member of the Liberty Korea Party, criticized, "During Prosecutor General Yoon's confirmation hearing, he was praised as 'Is there a prosecutor general like this?' but now the attitude has changed," and added, "Labeling the prosecution as political just because it is targeting the current Blue House, not investigations of the previous administration or opposing political forces, is hypocritical and contradictory."

On the 10th, at the Judiciary Committee plenary meeting held in the National Assembly, Liberty Korea Party lawmakers made condemnatory remarks regarding the personnel changes abruptly made in the Ministry of Justice. Minister Choo Mi-ae did not attend the meeting as no agreement was reached between the ruling and opposition parties for the plenary session that day. Photo by Yoon Dong-ju doso7@

He also pointed out that the newly replaced personnel are close aides of former Minister Cho Kuk. Joo said, "The newly appointed Head of the Anti-Corruption Department, Shim Jae-cheol, First Deputy Chief Prosecutor of the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors' Office, was the person who took care of Cho when he was imprisoned for the Sanomaeng incident," and criticized, "At a time when maintaining the prosecution of the Cho Kuk case is important, the person in charge was appointed as someone who is very close to former Minister Cho."

Kang Hyo-sang, a member of the Liberty Korea Party, called the prosecution personnel reshuffle the '1.8 Massacre,' saying, "It is a shock comparable to the declaration of martial law by the Chun Doo-hwan military regime during the Fifth Republic," and strongly criticized, "The administration has lost its reason." He added, "Although this personnel action is based on Article 34 of the Prosecution Service Act, this law emphasizes consultation," and said, "The legal community clearly sees procedural illegality and suspects intentional obstruction of investigations." He also announced plans to file additional complaints against Minister Choo and her superiors.

Not only Liberty Korea Party members but also Chae Yi-bae of the Bareunmirae Party raised their voices of criticism. Chae said, "The ruling party bears great responsibility for this situation," and added, "Even frontline prosecutors are being divided and forced to line up, and investigations are now being politically considered. Minister Choo and the Blue House, through this prosecution personnel reshuffle, are politicizing even hardworking prosecutors and tainting them with organizational logic."

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