Disciplinary Committee Dismisses Yoon Prosecutor General's Recusal Request... Shim Jae-cheol Withdraws as Witness

[Asia Economy Reporter Baek Kyunghwan] The Ministry of Justice's Prosecutor Disciplinary Committee dismissed the recusal requests for Chairman Jeong Han-jung and Shin Seong-sik, head of the Anti-Corruption and Strong Crime Division at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, filed by Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol's side.

At 10:34 a.m. on the 15th, during the second disciplinary hearing for Prosecutor General Yoon, his side submitted recusal requests for Chairman Jeong and Director Shin at the start of the session. However, the disciplinary committee rejected these requests. The specific reasons for the dismissal were not disclosed.

Yoon's side also requested the disciplinary committee to fill all seven disciplinary committee members as stipulated by the Prosecutor Disciplinary Act, but this was also denied by the committee. The committee withdrew the summons of Shim Jae-cheol, Director of the Ministry of Justice's Prosecutor Office, who had been compulsorily summoned as a witness during the first hearing.

Director Shim was classified as a witness to present the Ministry of Justice's arguments. He had attended the first disciplinary hearing as a member of the committee as a key aide to Minister of Justice Chu Mi-ae but recused himself during the recusal vote process and was then summoned as a witness.

However, Yoon's side has requested to conduct witness questioning, stating they have direct questions for Director Shim.

Among the other witnesses, the probability of Lee Seong-yoon, District Prosecutor, and Jung Jin-woong, Deputy Chief Prosecutor, being absent is high. They are personnel aligned with Minister Chu and are likely to oppose Prosecutor General Yoon, but Yoon's side intends to summon them to hear their opinions. Attorney Lee said, "There is no basis to compel attendance, but if they express an intention not to attend, we will request the disciplinary committee to issue a second summons. They are expected to represent the Ministry of Justice's position, so there is no reason for them not to appear."

Meanwhile, during the morning session, witness questioning of Son Jun-sung, head of the Investigation Information Office at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, reportedly took place. Director Son is responsible for the Investigation Information Policy Office and prepared the judicial information collection document related to the so-called 'judge surveillance' allegations under Prosecutor General Yoon's orders. It is known that Yoon's special defense team also participated in the witness questioning process, directly questioning the witness.

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