"Prosecution in the Grip of the Regime"... United Party Flooded with Criticism over 'Prosecutor Personnel'

Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol is arriving at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office in Seocho-gu, Seoul on the 20th. As the Ministry of Justice's proposed prosecutorial organization reform and the recruitment for public positions and dispatched prosecutors related to personnel affairs have been completed, a mid-level prosecutor personnel reshuffle is expected to take place soon. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] The United Future Party criticized the mid-level prosecutor personnel reshuffle as an attempt to block investigations into the living power, calling it a '21st-century prosecutorial spoils system.' They pointed out that the reshuffle was aimed at weakening Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol and solidifying the pro-Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae faction.

Members of the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee from the United Future Party stated in a press release on the 28th, "The prosecution, which should enforce the law strictly, has completely fallen into the hands of the regime."

The committee members noted that Deputy Chief Prosecutor Jeong Jin-ung, who had a physical altercation controversy with Chief Prosecutor Han Dong-hoon, was promoted to Deputy Chief Prosecutor, and Prosecutor Jin Hye-won, who was criticized for mocking the sexual harassment victims of former Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon, was effectively transferred from Daegu to the Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors' Office. They also criticized the transfer of the chief prosecutor of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, who investigated the Blue House election manipulation allegations, to the Daegu District Prosecutors' Office, and the move of the spokesperson of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, who acted as Prosecutor General Yoon's 'mouth,' to the Jeonju District Prosecutors' Office.

The committee members said, "Minister Choo might self-praise that she has blocked investigations into the living power," adding, "The public with common sense will wonder how many crimes have been committed to go to such lengths and will rather become awakened." United Future Party spokesperson Bae Jun-young also criticized it as a "21st-century prosecutorial spoils system (獵官制 - a political practice where the party in power controls official positions through elections)" in a verbal comment.

Assembly member Jo Soo-jin, a member of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, wrote on Facebook, "There are many shocking aspects, but the fact that Prosecutor Jin, who has acted as a 'pro-Moon Jae-in (Chinmun)' prosecutor, is moving from Daegu District Prosecutors' Office to Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors' Office is particularly noticeable," criticizing, "It is unacceptable for an active prosecutor to lead 'secondary victimization,' but the Ministry of Justice not only refrained from disciplining but effectively rewarded Prosecutor Jin by transferring her to Seoul."

Assembly member Kim Ki-hyun also described it as a "back-alley gangster movie-like melodrama" on Facebook. Professor Kim Geun-sik of Gyeongnam National University, who is the United Future Party's Songpa District Committee Chairman in Seoul, claimed, "The message of the prosecutorial personnel reshuffle is that loyalty to the regime leads to promotion, and criticizing the living power results in disadvantages."

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