Opposition Party, Can They Break Through Yoon Seok-yeol's Standoff?

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kang Nahum] The court ruled that the suspension of Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol's duties was unjust, siding with Yoon and disrupting the ruling party's strategy to oust him. While the Ministry of Justice hopes for his voluntary resignation before disciplinary action, Yoon appears determined to complete his term, making this unlikely.

For now, the Democratic Party of Korea is expected to continue pressuring Yoon to resign until the Ministry of Justice's disciplinary committee meeting on the 4th. On the 2nd, Democratic Party floor leader Kim Tae-nyeon stated at the Supreme Council meeting, "The court noted that the injunction's approval concerns whether suspending duty execution is appropriate, and is unrelated to the correctness of the disciplinary reasons." He added, "We respect the court's judgment and will await the Ministry of Justice's decision based on standards and procedures." This emphasized that the ruling only pertains to the injunction's effect, not the disciplinary grounds against Yoon. He further said, "The Democratic Party will overcome any obstacles to complete the prosecutorial reform, a task of our era, together with the people."

However, many predict it will be difficult for the Democratic Party to force Yoon's resignation despite repeated pressure, as Yoon is likely to adopt a defiant stance. Political circles already expect that even if the Ministry of Justice's disciplinary committee decides on dismissal, Yoon will file another injunction with the court to resist. If the court does not reach a conclusion by July next year, Yoon will be able to serve out his full term.

In fact, Yoon himself indirectly expressed his intention not to step down by stating the day before, "As a public official of the Republic of Korea, I promise to do my best to uphold the spirit of the Constitution and the rule of law."

Earlier, within the ruling party, there was a proposal for the simultaneous resignation of Minister Chu and Yoon, suggested by Prime Minister Chung, but with reform tasks such as the launch of the High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Department ahead, replacing the Minister of Justice would be a burden. Above all, Yoon's defiance has become a reality, reducing the feasibility of this option.

Ultimately, political circles increasingly believe that Minister Chu will convene the disciplinary committee to recommend Yoon's dismissal, which President Moon Jae-in will approve. After President Moon approves Yoon's dismissal and settles the issue of his position, it is expected that Minister Chu will be naturally replaced through a cabinet reshuffle anticipated around the year-end or early next year. However, this too is unlikely to be realized unless Yoon is persuaded.

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