Autumn On-Site Inspection Proceeded... Final Ultimatum to Yoon

This Afternoon, Inspection Department Prosecutor Heads to the Supreme Prosecutors' Office... Supreme Prosecutors' Office Likely to Maintain Stance Against In-Person Investigation
Disciplinary Action or Dismissal Expected if Investigation Fails
Calls for Joint Resignation Emerge in Political and Legal Circles

Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae (left) and Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Seok-jin] As the Ministry of Justice forcibly proceeded with an unprecedented inspection of the Prosecutor General on the 19th and the Supreme Prosecutors' Office insisted on refusal, the conflict between Chu Mi-ae and Yoon Seok-yeol is escalating to an uncontrollable level.

According to both agencies, the Ministry of Justice sent prosecutors belonging to the Inspection Department to the Supreme Prosecutors' Office in the afternoon to forcibly conduct a face-to-face inspection of Prosecutor General Yoon.

On the 17th, when two ordinary prosecutors tried to deliver an official document outlining the face-to-face investigation plan to the Supreme Prosecutors' Office but failed, the Ministry of Justice sent the same document to the Supreme Prosecutors' Office the next day. The document reportedly stated that a face-to-face investigation would be conducted on the afternoon of the 19th and instructed to prepare the investigation room and materials.

Since the Supreme Prosecutors' Office has already expressed the position of 'no face-to-face investigation of the Prosecutor General,' it seems highly likely that it will also refuse the Ministry of Justice's investigation attempt on that day.

Currently, the Supreme Prosecutors' Office is reportedly completely unaware of what case the Ministry of Justice intends to investigate against Prosecutor General Yoon or who the investigator visiting the Supreme Prosecutors' Office will be.

The spokesperson office of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office responded with extreme caution, saying, "At this point, the spokesperson office has nothing to say separately regarding the Ministry of Justice's inspection." The Supreme Prosecutors' Office's position is that it will respond to investigations conducted with prior notice of the investigation content and in writing.

This attempt to inspect Prosecutor General Yoon is being led by Park Eun-jung, the inspection officer classified as a representative of Minister Chu's faction, while the inspection officer in charge, Yoo Hyuk, is virtually excluded.

Officer Park was part of Minister Chu's confirmation hearing preparation team and is also the wife of Lee Jong-geun, head of the Criminal Division at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, who is also classified as a representative pro-government figure.

It was revealed that Yoo, Park's superior and the inspection officer, was not even aware that two ordinary prosecutors from the inspection office visited the Supreme Prosecutors' Office on the 17th with a visit investigation schedule and requested a meeting with the Prosecutor General.

Currently, the allegations related to Prosecutor General Yoon's family or close associates under inspection by Minister Chu's orders mostly consist of suspicions such as 'Prosecutor General Yoon was involved' or 'he covered up the investigation,' and the actual substance of the inspection target is unclear in most cases.

For this reason, Kim Yong-gyu, head of the Criminal Division 1 at Incheon District Prosecutors' Office, who was recently dispatched to the Ministry of Justice Inspection Office, reportedly opposed the inspection of Prosecutor General Yoon and had his dispatch canceled. Even a prosecutor urgently deployed to the Ministry of Justice Inspection Department, believing Minister Chu was on their side, appears to have opposed the excessive inspection.

Meanwhile, if the Ministry of Justice's face-to-face investigation fails due to the Supreme Prosecutors' Office's refusal, it is expected that Minister Chu will use this as a pretext to increase pressure through disciplinary requests or dismissal recommendations against Prosecutor General Yoon.

In the situation where the conflict between the two is escalating to extremes, it cannot be ruled out that President Moon Jae-in may make a decisive decision. Pressure for the simultaneous resignation of both is also growing in political and legal circles.

Regarding Minister Chu's multiple inspection orders against Prosecutor General Yoon, many inside and outside the prosecution view it as a violation of Article 8 of the Prosecutors' Office Act, which stipulates that only the Prosecutor General can command and supervise specific cases, or as an abuse of authority.

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