PCC Director Recommendation Committee Meeting on 18th... Democratic Party Accelerates Launch

Kim Jin-wook and Jeon Hyun-jung Leading Candidates
Low Chance of New Entrants
Opposition Committee Member Stripped of Veto Power Boycotts

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeon Jin-young] The launch of the High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Office (Gongu Office) is gaining momentum in conjunction with Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol receiving a two-month suspension from the Ministry of Justice's Prosecutor Disciplinary Committee. The candidate recommendation committee for the Gongu Office chief will hold a meeting on the 18th to begin the candidate approval process.

The National Assembly Gongu Office Chief Candidate Recommendation Committee's working support team announced on the 16th, "According to the chairman's decision to convene, the 5th meeting is scheduled to be held at 2 p.m. on the 18th." Since the amendment to the Gongu Office Act, proposed by the Democratic Party to nullify the opposition party's veto power, has passed, the approval process is expected to be smoother than before. The quorum for approval has been reduced from 6 out of 7 members to 5 out of 7, which is three-fifths. The two votes allocated to the People Power Party are effectively nullified, so even if the People Power Party exercises veto power, candidate recommendation is still possible. The current leading candidates are Kim Jin-wook, Senior Researcher at the Constitutional Court recommended by the Korean Bar Association, and Jeon Hyun-jung, a lawyer recommended by Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae.

Jo Jae-yeon, chairman of the recommendation committee for the candidate for the head of the Corruption Investigation Office, is presiding over the meeting of the candidate recommendation committee held at the National Assembly on the 25th. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

However, since Jeon Hyun-jung is a nominee recommended by Minister Choo, there is an unavoidable conflict of interest controversy, so Kim Jin-wook is considered more likely. Previously, Kim received five votes in the recommendation committee's vote, meeting the quorum required by the amended Gongu Office Act.

Some speculate that a new candidate may emerge, but the possibility seems low. Baek Hye-ryun, a Democratic Party lawmaker and floor leader of the National Assembly Legislation and Judiciary Committee, told reporters the day before, "There may be further discussion in the recommendation committee, but excluding the existing candidates would be a complete insult to those who have been recommended."

In response, the opposition party's Gongu Office chief candidate recommendation committee members have effectively declared a boycott. Lee Heon, a lawyer recommended by the People Power Party, stated, "Opposition party recommendation committee members have decided not to respond to convening before the promulgation and enforcement of the amended Gongu Office Act as stipulated by the Constitution and law," adding, "They are not responding (to the convening)."

The Democratic Party expressed respect for the disciplinary committee's judgment and stated its intention to accelerate the launch of the Gongu Office. Democratic Party leader Lee Nak-yeon emphasized at the party's highest council meeting that morning, "The Gongu Office will also contribute to democratic control over the prosecution." The opposition People Power Party protested. On the same day, lawmaker Choi Hyung-doo of the People Power Party told reporters, "They are trying to take over the Gongu Office while suspending Prosecutor General Yoon's duties," criticizing, "Once all procedures are done and they are just putting on a show, what meaning does the recommendation have? It is just a futile effort."

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