Prosecutor Mid-Level Personnel Changes... Notable Rise of 'Choo Squad' (Update)

President's 'Eyes and Ears' Demoted, Physical Confrontation Inspectors Promoted... Strengthening the Lee Seong-yoon Regime

[Asia Economy Reporter Baek Kyunghwan] The prosecution personnel reshuffle has been completed. Following the appointment of senior prosecutors at the level of chief prosecutors and above on the 7th, the Ministry of Justice carried out personnel changes for mid-level executives such as deputy chiefs and division chiefs, as well as ordinary prosecutors, on the 27th. After the so-called 'Choo Mi-ae faction' made significant advances in the senior executive appointments, the policy to 'weaken Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol' continued in the mid-level executive reshuffle as well.

All four deputy chief prosecutor positions at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, the largest prosecution office nationwide, were also changed. Kim Wook-jun, the 4th deputy chief prosecutor of Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office and considered a close aide to Lee Sung-yoon, the chief prosecutor of the same office, was appointed as the 1st deputy chief. Choi Sung-pil, deputy chief prosecutor of Uijeongbu District Prosecutors' Office, was appointed as the 2nd deputy chief. Gu Ja-hyun, spokesperson for the Ministry of Justice who has assisted Minister Choo Mi-ae, was appointed as the 3rd deputy chief, and Hyung Jin-hwi, a prosecutor at the Seoul High Prosecutors' Office, was appointed as the 4th deputy chief. Within the prosecution, it is expected that Lee's leadership system will become even more solidified.

◆ Prosecutor General Yoon's 'eyes and ears' demoted = The Supreme Prosecutors' Office had anticipated some changes as the organizational reform plan, which included the abolition of four deputy chief prosecutor-level positions, was approved at the Cabinet meeting on the 25th. The position of Investigation Information Policy Officer, which served as the 'eyes and ears' of the Prosecutor General, was abolished; the number of Investigation Information Officers under it was reduced from two to one; the Scientific Investigation Planning Officer and Senior Research Officers of the Anti-Corruption and Violent Crimes Division were also abolished, focusing more on elimination than reassignment.

Although the so-called 'Top 3' who closely assisted the Prosecutor General?the Investigation Information Policy Officer, Senior Research Officer of the Anti-Corruption and Violent Crimes Division, and Public Investigation Policy Officer of the Public Investigation Division?were all eliminated, Son Jun-sung, the Investigation Information Policy Officer, was transferred to the partially dismantled Investigation Information Officer position. Previously, the structure had one deputy chief prosecutor-level Investigation Information Policy Officer working with two Investigation Information Officers, but now only one Investigation Information Officer remains.

Accordingly, Kim Young-il and Sung Sang-wook, who served as Investigation Information Officers 1 and 2, respectively, were reassigned as head of the Criminal Division 1 at Jeju District Prosecutors' Office and head of the Criminal Division 2 at Goyang Branch Office. While not exactly demoted, it is widely analyzed that they have been pushed out from the central office.

The Ministry of Justice accepted the opposition from the Supreme Prosecutors' Office and appointed Lee Jung-bong, head of the Criminal Division 2 at Seoul Southern District Prosecutors' Office, and Ban Jong-wook, chief of the Miryang Branch Office, as the Human Rights Policy Officer and the Human Rights Supervision Officer under the Prosecutor General, respectively.

Park Ki-dong, a research officer at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, was newly appointed as the Criminal Policy Officer under the deputy chief prosecutor of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office. This office, which researches prosecution systems and criminal justice, was initially planned to be placed under the head of the Criminal Division but was moved to the Supreme Prosecutors' Office due to opposition.

In line with the expansion of frontline criminal and trial divisions, Chu Hye-yoon, head of the Criminal Division 1 at Gimcheon Branch Office, and Son Jin-wook, chief of the Uiseong Branch Office, were appointed to the newly created Criminal Divisions 3 and 4 within the Criminal Division, respectively.

Additionally, Kwon Soon-jung, spokesperson at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office who acted as the 'speaker' for Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol, was transferred to deputy chief prosecutor at Jeonju District Prosecutors' Office. The successor is Lee Chang-soo, head of the Criminal Division 2 at Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, who worked closely with Chief Prosecutor Lee Sung-yoon, drawing attention.

◆ Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, 'physical combat prosecutor' promoted = The most notable movement in the mid-level executive reshuffle at Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, which attracted the greatest attention, was the transfer of Jeong Jin-ung, head of the Criminal Division 1, who investigated the alleged collusion between the media and prosecution and was involved in a physical altercation controversy with the suspect, Prosecutor Han Dong-hoon. Jeong was promoted to deputy chief prosecutor at Gwangju District Prosecutors' Office.

Among the four deputy chief positions, Kim Wook-jun, the 4th deputy chief prosecutor who led investigations into the Telegram 'Doctor's Room' case, was appointed as the 1st deputy chief. Choi Sung-pil, deputy chief prosecutor of Uijeongbu District Prosecutors' Office, was appointed as the 2nd deputy chief; Gu Ja-hyun, spokesperson for the Ministry of Justice, as the 3rd deputy chief; and Hyung Jin-hwi, deputy head of the Anti-Corruption Promotion Team at the Prime Minister's Office, as the 4th deputy chief.

On the other hand, executives who handled investigations into large corporations and the current administration were pushed out. Lee Bok-hyun, head of the Economic Crime Criminal Division at the Central District Prosecutors' Office, who led investigations into illegal succession allegations involving Samsung Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong, was reassigned as head of the Criminal Division 3 at Daejeon District Prosecutors' Office. Kim Tae-eun, head of the Public Investigation Division 2, who handled the Ulsan mayoral election interference case, was transferred to head of the Criminal Division 1 at Daegu District Prosecutors' Office.

Notably, Jeong Jin-gi, head of the Inspection Division at Seoul High Prosecutors' Office who oversaw the investigation of Jeong Jin-ung, was transferred to Daegu High Prosecutors' Office as a prosecutor. Additionally, Cho Sang-won, head of the Criminal Division 6 at Seoul Southern District Prosecutors' Office who investigated the 'Lime Asset Management scandal,' was reassigned as head of the Criminal Division 12 at Central District Prosecutors' Office. Lee Jung-seop, head of the Criminal Division 6 at Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office who investigated allegations of cover-up in the inspection of former Busan Deputy Mayor Yoo Jae-soo, was transferred to head of the Criminal Division 3 at Suwon District Prosecutors' Office. These personnel changes are widely interpreted as demotions.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Justice self-assessed the reshuffle by stating, "We have strived to conduct fair and balanced personnel appointments considering factors such as regional origin, school, and gender." They explained that to ensure continuity and stable completion of investigations and prosecutions related to major issues such as 'judicial farming,' 'Lime,' and 'Sewol Ferry' cases, team leader-level prosecutors who have led investigations and trials were retained to prevent any disruption in ongoing investigative and prosecutorial work.

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