Choo Mi-ae: "It's time to change the promotion and appointment system based on flashy special cases"

[Asia Economy Reporter Baek Kyunghwan] Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae stated that the personnel structure, where promotion and selection opportunities are concentrated on a few due to special cases, must be changed. The Ministry of Justice explained on the 27th, regarding the mid-level and ordinary prosecutor personnel changes, that "we tried to send a message of hope to excellent prosecutors who have devoted themselves to the criminal and trial departments."

On the morning of the 28th, Minister Choo posted on her Facebook, "Until now, if promotion and selection opportunities and glory were concentrated on a few through one or two high-profile special cases, now we will change personnel so that all prosecutors, as legal professionals, can fulfill their mission of pride and justice with balanced hope."

She especially said, "Frontline criminal department prosecutors handle more than 200 civil cases a month at the high end and at least 150 cases, feeling many difficulties," adding, "We should not regard the departure of rookie prosecutor Kim Hong-young, who left behind frustration and despair after giving up hope and motivation, as mere personal misfortune but rather change the organizational culture that has been taken for granted."

She also revealed the background for selecting outstanding female prosecutors for key positions in the Ministry of Justice in this personnel reshuffle. Minister Choo said, "Currently, among the total 2,212 prosecutors, 700 female prosecutors are active, whereas when I was a probationary prosecutor in 1983, there were only two female prosecutors," adding, "Compared to that time, remarkable progress has been made. Their abilities are excellent, and discriminatory views have now been overcome."

She continued, "At a recent meeting with prosecutors, I heard from female prosecutors in the Women and Juvenile Crime Investigation Department that they suffer extreme stress and aftereffects due to the brutality of sexual offenders and the victims' pain," and said, "I thought we should alleviate this heavy burden through counseling and appropriate rotation assignments."

Meanwhile, following the high-ranking prosecutor personnel changes earlier this month, the Ministry of Justice carried out mid-level and ordinary prosecutor personnel changes on the 27th. Through this first personnel change under the prosecution system reorganization plan, prosecutors from the criminal trial department and female prosecutors were actively appointed, and the leadership of major cases such as the alleged collusion between prosecutors and media was completely replaced.

At the Central District Prosecutors' Office, Kim Tae-eun, head of the Public Investigation Division 2, who investigated the Blue House's alleged interference in the Ulsan mayoral election, and Lee Bok-hyun, head of the Economic Crime Criminal Division, who led the investigation into Samsung's illegal succession of management rights, were transferred to Daegu and Daejeon, respectively. In addition, Lee Jung-seop, head of the Criminal Division 6 at the Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors' Office, who indicted former Minister of Justice Cho Kuk regarding the alleged cover-up of the inspection of former Busan Deputy Mayor Yoo Jae-soo, and Cho Sang-won, head of the Criminal Division 6 at the Southern District Prosecutors' Office, who handled the Lime case, were also reassigned.

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