Internal Backlash to Autumn Wind... Will a Wave of Resignations Follow?

Key Executives Resign One After Another... Protest Resignations Expected Regardless of Seniority

[Asia Economy Reporter Baek Kyunghwan] There has been considerable backlash within the prosecution following Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae's second round of mid-level prosecutor personnel reshuffling. Amid resignations from key executives, there is growing speculation internally that a large-scale departure may begin with the 26th and 27th Judicial Research and Training Institute classes, who had been observing the situation since the previous high-ranking personnel changes.

According to the Ministry of Justice on the 28th, a total of seven prosecutors resigned from their posts during the mid-level personnel reshuffle. Lee Seon-wook, Deputy Chief Prosecutor of Chuncheon District Prosecutors' Office; Kim Nam-woo, Deputy Chief Prosecutor of Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors' Office; Jeon Seong-won, Chief of Bucheon Branch; and Lee Geon-ryeong, Head of the Public Security Investigation Support Division at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, had already expressed their intention to resign before the reshuffle. Meanwhile, Ahn Kwon-seop and Park Seong-geun, prosecutors at Seoul High Prosecutors' Office, and Kim Young-gi, Head of the Criminal Division 3 at Gwangju District Prosecutors' Office, submitted their resignations immediately after the personnel announcement on the 27th.

Jung Soon-shin, Director of the Yongin Branch of the Judicial Research and Training Institute, also submitted her resignation to the Ministry of Justice on the 27th. She was appointed as a prosecutor at Seoul High Prosecutors' Office in this reshuffle. Jung previously served as the Deputy Spokesperson of the Special Investigation Headquarters during the Park Geun-hye and Choi Soon-sil political scandal investigation.

Within the prosecution, with the personnel reshuffle now complete, attention is focused on the movements of the classes who had been observing the organizational restructuring and high- and mid-level personnel changes. Deputy prosecutors who failed to be promoted to chief prosecutors in the early high-level reshuffle are representative of this group. Among the 26th and 27th classes excluded from promotion, there was hope for future promotion to chief prosecutor depending on the mid-level reshuffle of the 28th class.

With pro-government prosecutors being appointed to key positions such as the 1st to 4th Deputy Chiefs of Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, 1st Deputy Chief of Seoul Southern District Prosecutors' Office, and Deputy Chief of Seoul Western District Prosecutors' Office, there has been talk of protest resignations from the 29th and 30th classes. Furthermore, with the completion of the organizational restructuring and personnel reshuffle, turbulence among 'special investigation and public security' prosecutors is also anticipated. It is reported that even those from the 31st class and below are considering resignations regardless of their class.

This personnel reshuffle attracted more attention as it was the first to apply Minister Choo's policy of 'reducing direct investigation departments and strengthening criminal and trial divisions.' Moreover, prosecutors aligned with Minister Choo and Seoul Central District Prosecutor Lee Seong-yoon were moved to key positions, while those close to Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl, who had conflicts with them, were demoted.

Kim Wook-jun, the 4th Deputy Chief who has the trust of Prosecutor Lee, was appointed as the 1st Deputy Chief of Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office; Choi Seong-pil, Deputy Chief of Uijeongbu District Prosecutors' Office who led the investigation into allegations including forgery of private documents involving Prosecutor General Yoon's mother-in-law, was appointed as the 2nd Deputy Chief; and Koo Ja-hyun, Ministry of Justice spokesperson who closely assisted Minister Choo and acted as her 'mouthpiece,' was appointed as the 3rd Deputy Chief. Notably, Jung Jin-ung, Head of the Criminal Division 1 at Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, who had engaged in a physical confrontation with Chief Prosecutor Han Dong-hoon, was promoted to Deputy Chief Prosecutor.

On the other hand, Lee Bok-hyun, Head of the Economic Crime Criminal Division who investigated the illegal succession of Samsung's management rights, was reassigned as Head of Criminal Division 3 at Daejeon District Prosecutors' Office; Cho Sang-won, Head of Criminal Division 6 at Seoul Southern District Prosecutors' Office who investigated the Lime Asset Management scandal, was appointed as Head of Criminal Division 12 at Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office; and Yang In-cheol, Head of Criminal Division 1 at Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors' Office who handled the case of Minister Choo's son's failure to return from leave, was assigned as Human Rights Supervisor at Seoul Northern District Prosecutors' Office. Jung Jin-gi, Head of the Inspection Division at Seoul High Prosecutors' Office who had overseen the inspection of Chief Prosecutor Jung, was also transferred to Daegu High Prosecutors' Office as a prosecutor.

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