Prosecutor General Candidate Recommendation Committee Meeting... Park Beom-gye Likely to Give Opinion Despite Not Attending (Comprehensive)

Maximum Interest in Inclusion of Lee Seong-yoon
Meeting Attended by Lee Jong-yeop, Bar Association President
"Those with High Political Bias Are Not Suitable"
Three Candidates Recommended for Minister of Justice
Final Candidate Nominated to President for Appointment

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Gwacheon=Asia Economy reporters Kim Hyung-min and Kim Dae-hyun] The members of the Prosecutor General Candidate Recommendation Committee (Recommendation Committee), who are narrowing down the next Prosecutor General candidates, sat at the table and began the meeting. The final candidate is expected to be decided as early as today (29th), following the selection of 3 to 4 recommended candidates. The dice that will determine the fate of Lee Sung-yoon, Chief Prosecutor of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, have also been cast.

The Recommendation Committee has been holding a meeting since 10:03 a.m. this morning in the Ministry of Justice's mid-sized conference room at the Government Complex Gwacheon. The chairman, former Minister of Justice Park Sang-ki, is presiding over the meeting, where 5 ex officio members and 4 non-ex officio members will discuss and then vote on 14 recommended candidates.

The Ministry of Justice building, where the meeting is held, was busy and tense from early morning. Among the 9 committee members, 5, including Kim Hyung-doo, Deputy Director of the Court Administration Office, wore masks and either did not respond to reporters' questions or avoided them as they entered the building with serious expressions. Chairman Park, the former minister, refrained from commenting, saying, "We will recommend appropriate candidates according to regulations and procedures." With Inha University Vice President Won Hye-wook arriving late, the meeting initially started with 8 members. Vice President Won joined at 10:25 a.m.

The meeting is not expected to be long. Jung Young-hwan, President of the Korean Law Professors Association, predicted, "If it drags on, there will be many discussions, so it will likely be concluded in one session today."

The Recommendation Committee plans to select more than three candidates to recommend to Minister of Justice Park Beom-gye. After receiving the recommendations, Minister Park will propose one final candidate to President Moon Jae-in for appointment either today or tomorrow.

Minister Park will not attend the Legislation and Judiciary Committee meeting held at the National Assembly today and will wait for the Recommendation Committee's results in his office. A Ministry of Justice official explained, "There are no Ministry of Justice-related agenda items in today's Legislation and Judiciary Committee, so he will not attend."

Minister Park said, "I understand the meeting is being held next door to my office," and added, "I believe the committee members will recommend good candidates through constructive discussions." Regarding whether he will submit a written opinion to the Recommendation Committee, he stated, "I intend to follow precedent. Previously, comprehensive opinions were submitted through the Prosecutor General's Office," indicating his intention to provide input. However, Minister Park clarified that he will not attend the Recommendation Committee meeting.

The main topic of the Recommendation Committee today is Lee Sung-yoon, Chief Prosecutor of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, who is known for his 'pro-government' stance. Attention is focused on whether he will be included among the 3 to 4 recommended candidates.

Lee, who served as head of the Anti-Corruption and Strong Crime Division at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office in 2019, is under suspicion of exerting external pressure on the Anyang branch of the Suwon District Prosecutors' Office, which investigated allegations of illegal travel bans involving former Deputy Minister of Justice Kim Hak-ui. Lee has become a suspect in this case. The Suwon District Prosecutors' Office, which is investigating Lee, plans to indict him soon.

If he is appointed Prosecutor General after becoming the final candidate, there are many concerns that he would become the first-ever 'suspect Prosecutor General' in constitutional history.

Lee Jong-yeop, President of the Korean Bar Association, attending the meeting, also targeted Lee Sung-yoon, saying, "Someone with strong political bias or political partisanship is not suitable."

Meanwhile, the Supreme Prosecutors' Office's Prosecutorial Investigation Deliberation Committee will select 15 current issue committee members by lottery today. Earlier, Lee Sung-yoon and the Suwon High Prosecutors' Office applied for a deliberation committee regarding the 'investigation interference' allegations related to the illegal travel ban case of former Deputy Minister Kim. Although the deliberation date has not yet been decided, if the lottery is held today, there is a possibility that the meeting could be held as soon as tomorrow.

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