'Prosecutor Reform Participation' Lee Yong-gu, Legal Affairs Director, Resigns... Major Changes Expected in Ministry of Justice Staff

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] Lee Yong-gu, Legal Affairs Director of the Ministry of Justice (age 56, Judicial Research and Training Institute class 23), who participated in the prosecution reform work, is reported to have tendered his resignation.

According to the legal community on the 27th, Director Lee recently expressed his intention to resign to Minister Chu Mi-ae and has not come to work since that day. The Ministry of Justice plans to announce a public recruitment for his successor as soon as the resignation process is completed.

Director Lee, a former chief judge, worked as a lawyer before being appointed as Legal Affairs Director in August 2017. He was the first non-prosecutor to be appointed to this position.

During his 2 years and 8 months at the Ministry of Justice, Director Lee participated in the clearing of past injustices as a member of the Prosecution Past Affairs Committee and also served as the head of the task force to eradicate preferential treatment for former prosecutors in the legal community. Recently, he led the preparatory team for the establishment of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials within the Ministry’s Reform Legislation Implementation Task Force.

Following the replacement of Deputy Minister Kim Oh-soo on the same day, Director Lee’s resignation is expected to lead to significant changes among the Ministry of Justice’s senior aides.

The Ministry of Justice also plans to appoint a new Director of Human Rights soon. The position has been vacant for over three months since former Director Hwang Hee-seok (age 53, class 31) resigned in January.

The recruitment process is also underway for the successor to former Inspector General Ma Kwang-yeol (age 56), who recently tendered his resignation. Ma, a former member of the Board of Audit and Inspection, was appointed in April last year but resigned halfway through his two-year term.

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