One Month Until New Prosecutor General... Prosecution's Final Sprint in Government Investigation

Ministry of Justice and Cheong discussions take a month including National Assembly schedule... Prosecution decisions on Kim Hak-ui and Wolseong Nuclear Power Plant cases

[Asia Economy Reporter Baek Kyunghwan] As the selection process for the new Prosecutor General intensifies, the prosecution is accelerating its final investigations related to the administration. With a pro-government new chief anticipated, it is interpreted as an effort to clear sensitive investigations before the appointment. In the remaining month-long period for the Ministry of Justice and the Blue House's follow-up work for the new chief's appointment and the National Assembly's confirmation process, the indictment decisions regarding Blue House officials are also expected to be concluded.

According to the legal community on the 26th, the prosecution investigating allegations of illegal travel bans on former Deputy Minister of Justice Kim Hak-ui questioned Lee Kwang-cheol, Presidential Office Secretary for Civil Affairs, on the 24th. The prosecution is reportedly reviewing indictment as they believe Secretary Lee led the travel ban on former Deputy Minister Kim in March 2019.

Secretary Lee is suspected of involvement in the illegal travel ban process on former Deputy Minister Kim by connecting Cha Gyu-geun, Head of the Immigration and Foreign Policy Bureau at the Ministry of Justice, and Prosecutor Lee Gyu-won. Some speculate that Secretary Lee tried to highlight the Kim case to cover up the Burning Sun scandal. Inside and outside the prosecution, there is speculation that the investigation team, which has already indicted Head Cha and Prosecutor Lee, may indict Lee Seong-yoon, Chief Prosecutor of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, who is suspected of exerting external pressure during the investigation involving Secretary Lee.

The legal community expects the prosecution teams handling administration-related investigations to move urgently over the next month. The Prosecutor General Candidate Recommendation Committee plans to narrow down 3 to 4 candidates by the 29th and recommend them to Minister of Justice Park Beom-gye. Considering the process of Minister Park nominating one candidate to President Moon Jae-in and the National Assembly's confirmation hearing schedule, the remaining period until the new Prosecutor General's appointment is effectively one month.

The movements of the Criminal Division 5 of the Daejeon District Prosecutors' Office (led by Chief Prosecutor Lee Sang-hyun), investigating allegations of manipulation in the economic feasibility evaluation of the Wolseong Unit 1 nuclear power plant, are also notable. Recently, they summoned former Blue House Industrial Policy Secretary Chae Hee-bong (currently President of Korea Gas Corporation) to inquire about the circumstances under which the suspension of Wolseong Unit 1 was ordered to officials at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.

The investigation team suspects that former Secretary Chae exerted undue influence during the economic feasibility evaluation by Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power, which was to decide on the early closure of Wolseong Unit 1. Former Minister of Industry Baek Woon-gyu has already been questioned, and judicial processing of these individuals is imminent.

Another administration-related investigation involving Secretary Lee is the Ulsan mayoral election interference case, which was effectively concluded with the non-custodial indictment of Lee Jin-seok, Head of the Blue House National Situation Room. Other former and current Blue House officials, including former Presidential Chief of Staff Im Jong-seok and former Minister of Justice Cho Kuk, were not indicted due to insufficient evidence.

A lawyer formerly with the prosecution said, "With the Minister of Justice directly mentioning the political orientation of the next Prosecutor General, the investigation team, wanting to make as independent a judgment as possible, is likely to finish sensitive investigations before receiving orders from the new chief." He added, "Besides administration-related investigations, decisions on long-pending cases are also expected soon."

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