Park Ju-min "Choo Mi-ae's Resignation Expression Is Regrettable... Yoon Seok-yeol's 2-Month Suspension Is Too Light"

Park Ju-min, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, is speaking at a forum on seeking directions for amending the Commercial Act to improve corporate governance and economic democratization, held on the morning of the 10th of last month at the National Assembly Members' Office Building. Photo by Yonhap News.

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Young-eun] Park Jumin, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, expressed regret on the 18th regarding Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae's resignation, saying, "There is a sense of regret about her stepping down now."

On the same day, on CBS Radio's 'Kim Hyun-jung's News Show,' Park said, "The will of the president, who holds the power of appointment, is the most important, but she has done a lot for prosecutorial reform and seems to have many more tasks ahead. I feel regretful whether she really needs to quit now."

He continued, "Even if the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) is launched or the adjustment of investigative authority between the prosecution and police is legally settled, she had promised to address issues such as personnel practices within the prosecution and case allocation problems that have been raised over time," adding, "Currently, the public defense support systems provided by the state are confusingly structured and overall insufficient. To expand these, I have been discussing with her and even formed a task force team, so I feel regret about the unfinished business of these matters."

Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae is responding to questions from lawmakers at the Legislation and Judiciary Committee plenary session held at the National Assembly on January 9. [Image source=Yonhap News]

He further evaluated, "It seems true that she is someone who can handle these parts well," and when asked by the host, "Are you saying you hope her resignation is not accepted so she can work a little longer?" he replied, "Yes."

Regarding Minister Choo's resignation, he said, "Judging by the current atmosphere, it seems to be her own decision, so it is likely that it will be accepted," adding, "I found out that even her aides did not know about it. So, rather than there being any discussions, it seems she has been contemplating this deeply on her own."

Regarding Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl's intention to appeal the two-month suspension disciplinary action, he said, "Raising issues and filing lawsuits is an individual's right," but added, "However, from my judgment, it is hard to accept that this disciplinary procedure was illegal. In fact, I think the two-month suspension was a rather light punishment."

He continued, "Considering the reasons alone, dismissal or other measures could have been taken against Prosecutor General Yoon, but many factors were considered, and they chose suspension," adding, "So there are regrets, and given this level of decision, I think it is necessary for him to accept it to some extent."

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