Cheong, Ministry of Justice Vice Minister Personnel Move 'Strongest Measure'

New Deputy Minister of Justice Announcement Possibly on the 2nd, Cheong Drawn into Seocho-dong Turmoil... President Moon Unlikely to Accept Opposition's Demand for Minister Choo's Resignation

[Asia Economy Reporter Ryu Jeong-min] The reason why the timing of the new appointment of the Deputy Minister of Justice by the Blue House is drawing attention is that it could be a choice that plunges itself into the whirlwind originating from Seocho-dong.

Rushing the appointment of the Deputy Minister, who holds the 'key' to the operation of the Ministry of Justice Disciplinary Committee postponed to the 4th, can be interpreted as a strong offensive drive. Both the political and legal circles inevitably perceive that the moment the Deputy Minister is appointed, President Moon Jae-in and the Blue House will directly 'join' the 'Chu-Yoon' conflict incident.

Since the Deputy Minister position at the Ministry of Justice has become vacant, it is too sensitive a time to simply say the appointment is to fill the vacancy. If the Deputy Minister appointment is made as early as the 2nd, the clash between Minister of Justice Chu Mi-ae and Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl could enter a new phase.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The decision of former Deputy Minister of Justice Ko Ki-young to resign is generally analyzed as not having been made suddenly. He solidified his intention to resign amid escalating prosecution backlash and intensifying controversy, and this was known not only to the Ministry of Justice but also to the Blue House. Although former Deputy Minister Ko expressed his intention to resign on the 1st, this implies that some preparation for the successor appointment has already been made.

Kim Jin-ae, floor leader of the Open Democratic Party, said in an interview with tbs radio's 'Kim Eo-jun's News Factory' on the 2nd, "The Deputy Minister of Justice expressed his intention to resign the day before yesterday, but I heard there have been quite a few internal struggles over the past few days," adding, "Therefore, I think preparations have probably been made regarding the successor appointment."

The Blue House had kept a distance from this issue until now, but it has become a situation where it can no longer do so. It seems likely to follow a one-way path with no retreat, far from a smooth resolution. Regardless of intention, it inevitably leads to a situation where the Blue House directly participates in the 'Chu-Yoon' conflict incident.

Prosecutor General Yoon, who has returned to duty, has effectively signaled that he will hold his ground, and the 'political solution' is gradually losing momentum. It is noteworthy that Yoon's side has announced legal responses not only to the Ministry of Justice Disciplinary Committee's decision but also to President Moon's approval.

Even though the President has approved the dismissal, an unprecedented situation may arise where the Prosecutor General remains in office until a legal judgment is made. If the litigation prolongs, he may not step down until his scheduled retirement in July next year. This is a scene never before experienced in Korean constitutional history, and the political risk is bound to snowball.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

There is a view that President Moon needs to take responsibility to resolve this situation, but the internal atmosphere of the Blue House is that this stage has already been passed. If President Moon intended to intervene and resolve the situation, he would have done so earlier. On the 1st, President Moon met separately with Minister Chu at the Blue House and had a conversation, but the details of their discussion have not been disclosed.

On the night of the 1st, President Moon delivered a video congratulatory speech at the '19th International Anti-Corruption Conference' held in Korea, stating, "Corruption always exploits our negligence," but this was evaluated as a general remark unrelated to current issues. He remains reserved regarding the positions of Minister Chu and Prosecutor General Yoon.

The opposition parties are pressuring the Blue House to dismiss Minister Chu and allow Prosecutor General Yoon to remain, but it is unlikely that President Moon will accept such demands. If only Minister Chu steps down while Prosecutor General Yoon remains, the momentum for prosecutorial reform will effectively be lost. The political leadership will shift to the opposition, and President Moon may fall into the quagmire of a lame-duck presidency.

President Moon has emphasized the importance of prosecutorial reform even before entering politics. Prosecutorial reform is one of the reasons he entered politics and a core national agenda. Entrusting Minister Chu with the heavy responsibility of completing prosecutorial reform, choosing a 'shake-up' to resolve political difficulties would be self-contradictory. The postponement of the Ministry of Justice Disciplinary Committee discussions from the 2nd to the 4th has the meaning of delaying the time of catastrophe.

However, unless a dramatic breakthrough is made, the situation itself is unlikely to change. Minister Chu is expected to proceed with the dismissal of Prosecutor General Yoon, Yoon is expected to resist through legal action, and President Moon is likely to face political risks.

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