Yoon Throws 'Direct' at Establishing the Central Water Authority... Begins Preparing Successor President Appointment

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Baek Kyunghwan] The process of selecting a successor immediately began following Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol's resignation. The Ministry of Justice has started appointing external members to the Prosecutor General Candidate Recommendation Committee, and Minister of Justice Park Beom-gye held an interview with a regional broadcaster, stating, "I will spend the weekend and holidays deeply reflecting and consulting with channels for discussion to finalize the next Prosecutor General."

Minister Park urged prosecutors to stabilize the prosecution organization, which has become unsettled due to Yoon's resignation, saying, "I hope the prosecution does not become greatly disturbed," and added, "I understand feelings of disappointment, but please devote yourselves to ensuring there is no gap in work."

Regarding the criticism spreading within the prosecution, he said, "The Minister of Justice is not a position that only receives praise from frontline prosecutors," and added, "Whatever is said, I consider it as the prosecutors' public opinion and will fully understand those feelings."

The problem is that concerns among prosecutors about the establishment of the Serious Crimes Investigation Office (Jungsucheong) continue. Minister Park said, "I understand that the bill related to Jungsucheong was not created with a fixed deadline, and the Democratic Party's Prosecution Reform Special Committee also considers gaining public sympathy very important," but opposition from frontline prosecutors is intensifying.

The reason Prosecutor General Yoon decided to resign was also the ruling party's move to establish Jungsucheong. The bill to establish Jungsucheong, which the ruling party aims to pass in the first half of this year, centers on stripping the prosecution of its direct investigative authority. It proposes transferring investigative authority over six major serious crimes?corruption, economic crimes, public officials, elections, defense projects, and large-scale disasters?from the prosecution to Jungsucheong, leaving the prosecution only with prosecution and maintaining public prosecution.

However, due to the adjustment of investigative authority between the police and prosecution, investigative authority over all cases except the six major serious crimes has already been transferred to the police. Considering that the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (Gongsucho) handles investigations of crimes by high-ranking officials of grade 3 or higher, including the president, the prosecution's investigative authority is effectively being completely abolished.

This is why Prosecutor General Yoon risked his position opposing the establishment of Jungsucheong. In an interview with a media outlet on the 2nd, Yoon criticized the ruling party's legislative push for Jungsucheong as "a de facto 'dismantling of the prosecution,' an obliteration of the rule of law, and a destruction of the constitutional spirit." He particularly pointed out, "If investigation and prosecution are separated, it will be impossible to firmly respond to the unfair acts of socially powerful and vested interests," and emphasized, "The realization of justice through law enforcement ultimately involves filing a lawsuit and obtaining a judicial ruling, and investigation, prosecution, and maintaining public prosecution cannot be separately divided."

Meanwhile, Deputy Prosecutor General Cho Nam-gwan, who took over the prosecution following Yoon's resignation, plans to hold a nationwide high prosecutors' meeting on the 8th to discuss issues related to Jungsucheong. The high prosecutors will discuss organizational stability measures due to the vacancy of the Prosecutor General position, gather opinions on the bill to establish Jungsucheong, discuss ways to establish a new criminal justice system, and address other prosecution reform tasks. Currently, Cho Sang-chul, Seoul High Prosecutor; Koo Bon-seon, Gwangju High Prosecutor; Kang Nam-il, Daejeon High Prosecutor; Jang Young-soo, Daegu High Prosecutor; Oh In-seo, Suwon High Prosecutor; and Park Sung-jin, Busan High Prosecutor are in office.

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