[Comprehensive] Moon Chan-seok "This Is a Judicial Disaster" vs Im Eun-jeong "A Cunning Prosecutor in Troubled Times"

In October last year, Im Eun-jeong, Chief Prosecutor of Ulsan District Prosecutors' Office, appeared as a witness at the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee's National Police Agency audit held at the National Police Agency in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, responding to inquiries. Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Seung-gon, Intern Reporter Kang Joo-hee] Im Eun-jung, Chief Prosecutor of Ulsan District Prosecutors' Office, recently criticized former Gwangju District Prosecutor Moon Chan-seok, who expressed his intention to resign following changes in senior prosecution personnel, calling him "a skillful prosecutor in times of peace, a cunning prosecutor in times of chaos." Former Prosecutor Moon had previously expressed his resignation in protest against the recent appointments of senior prosecutors by the Ministry of Justice.

On the 9th, Prosecutor Im wrote on her Facebook, "During my 20 years in the prosecution, there were only three prosecutors I was certain would become chief prosecutors," mentioning "senior prosecutors Moon Chan-seok, Han Dong-hoon (Chief Prosecutor), and Lee Won-seok (Deputy Chief Prosecutor of Suwon High Prosecutors' Office), with whom I worked at Busan District Prosecutors' Office and the Ministry of Justice."

She continued, "(They) had outstanding ability and tact in carrying out assigned tasks," adding, "As these seniors continued to rise and perform various important roles, I, watching from afar, felt more anxious, thinking they were precarious not only for themselves but also for the country and the prosecution."

On the 10th, at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office in Seocho-gu, Seoul, during the nationwide meeting of district prosecutors and election-related deputy chief prosecutors, Moon Chan-seok, head of the Gwangju District Prosecutors' Office, who openly criticized Lee Sung-yoon, chief of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, is heading to the cafeteria for lunch with Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

Prosecutor Im commented on former Prosecutor Moon, saying, "Various remarks have been pouring out in response to Senior Prosecutor Moon's resignation announcement, which was expressed in harsh words due to dissatisfaction with personnel changes," and pointed out, "In a country where prosecution reform has been a campaign promise in every presidential election, is it possible that the once prominent senior officials did not participate in the prosecution's systemic crimes and wrongdoings?"

She added, "No prosecutor is free from the sin of bystanding and silence, or the sin of failing to prevent wrongdoing," and criticized, "Most successful senior officials are political prosecutors, and if you weed them all out, I wonder if there would be anyone left, which is the reality of the prosecution."

Former Prosecutor Moon had expressed his resignation in protest against the recent appointments of senior prosecutors by the Ministry of Justice.

On the morning of the 8th, he wrote on the prosecution's internal network 'E-PROS,' directly criticizing Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae, stating, "It is worrisome and shameful that many talents were sidelined and that prosecutors who receive biased evaluations as 'pro-government personnel' or 'Choo Mi-ae prosecutors' were blatantly put at the forefront in this personnel reshuffle."

Prosecutor Moon also said, "For the first time in history, the illegal exercise of the minister's command authority, which stripped the chief prosecutor of the supervisory authority stipulated in the Prosecutors' Office Act, was activated, but it seems there is no substance to the case. At this level, it is a 'judicial disaster,'" and added, "Those who should be subject to inspection or investigation remain in their positions or are promoted."

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