Unprecedented Suspension of Sitting Prosecutor General... President Moon, the Personnel Authority, Remains Silent (Update)

President Moon Jae-in [Photo by Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Son Sun-hee] On the 24th, for the first time in constitutional history, the Minister of Justice excluded the sitting Prosecutor General from duty, while President Moon Jae-in, who holds the authority over personnel appointments, remained silent.

Kang Min-seok, the Blue House spokesperson, shortly after the Ministry of Justice's announcement, sent a text notice to the press corps at the Blue House stating, "President Moon Jae-in received a related report just before the Minister of Justice's announcement, and made no separate remarks." There was no mention of the reporting party, method, or specific timing, and no separate briefing was held regarding this matter.

President Moon, who took his first vacation of the year the previous day to rest, returned to work on this day but had no separate official schedule. The Blue House has not disclosed who made the confidential report. Considering the gravity of the issue, it is highly likely that Minister of Justice Chu Mi-ae reported directly, but it is also possible that it was done in writing through the civil affairs line.

The fact that President Moon, the authority over personnel appointments, received the report but made no comment is interpreted as tacit 'approval.'

The last time President Moon officially mentioned Minister Chu and Prosecutor General Yoon in a public setting was at the 6th Fair Society Anti-Corruption Policy Council in June. At that time, in his opening remarks, President Moon referred to the launch of the Human Rights Investigation Task Force (TF), saying, "I hope you cooperate with each other and come up with bold reform measures so that the public can feel the changes."

Earlier, Minister Chu held a briefing around 6 p.m. at the Seoul High Prosecutors' Office press room, stating, "I have requested disciplinary action against the Prosecutor General and ordered the suspension of his duties." The main reasons for the exclusion from duty presented by Minister Chu were: ▲ inappropriate contact with media company owners ▲ illegal surveillance of trial panels in major cases including former Minister Cho Kuk's case ▲ obstruction of inspection and investigation related to the Channel A case and former Prime Minister Han Myeong-sook's case ▲ obstruction during the face-to-face investigation of the Prosecutor General ▲ damage to trust regarding political neutrality, totaling five reasons.

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