'It's Hard to Wait Any Longer'... The Presidential Office Chooses the Direct Approach

Yoon Appoints Prosecutor General and Fair Trade Commission Chair Before Overseas Visits
Democratic Party Strongly Criticizes as "Ignoring National Assembly, Closed-Minded Jokbo"... Political Cooperation Collapses

President Yoon Suk-yeol is taking a commemorative photo after presenting the letter of appointment to Han Ki-jung, Chairman of the Fair Trade Commission, at the Yongsan Presidential Office building in Seoul on the morning of the 16th.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

President Yoon Suk-yeol is taking a commemorative photo after presenting the appointment letter to Prosecutor General Lee Won-seok at the Yongsan Presidential Office building in Seoul on the morning of the 16th.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Ki-min Lee] On the 16th, President Yoon Seok-yeol appointed Lee Won-seok as Prosecutor General and Han Ki-jung as Fair Trade Commission Chairman, despite the opposition party's refusal to adopt the personnel hearing report, making it virtually impossible to expect cooperation with the opposition party.

After his 100-day inauguration, President Yoon increased external schedules focusing on welfare for the vulnerable and livelihood issues, lowering the intensity of his remarks. However, he chose a ‘direct approach’ by expressing that the investigation results on the solar power project released the day before were "regrettable."

Lee Won-seok, appointed by President Yoon on this day, is a judicial training institute classmate of Han Dong-hoon, the Minister of Justice, whom the Democratic Party opposes. He is a key figure in the Yoon Seok-yeol faction, having served as the head of the Planning and Coordination Department at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office during Yoon’s tenure as Prosecutor General. Han Ki-jung, the Fair Trade Commission Chairman, is three years junior to President Yoon at Seoul National University Law School and has served as the Chair of the Ministry of Justice Inspection Committee.

Typically, the Presidential Office approves such appointments with the principle that "important positions cannot be held for long." However, this time, it responded sharply with phrases like ‘reckless obstruction of state affairs,’ ‘self-criticism by the Democratic Party,’ and ‘this is the 10th time a progress report has not been adopted after a personnel hearing.’ It appears that the Presidential Office’s internal judgment was that the Democratic Party is increasing cases of forced appointments to burden President Yoon and his administration.

A senior official from the Presidential Office stated, “If they opposed the two candidates, they should have expressed dissenting opinions in the hearing report, but they did not,” adding, “The opposition is trying to frame the Presidential Office for forced appointments.”

With President Yoon pushing through the appointments, clashes with the opposition party are expected to intensify. In particular, regarding the discovery of approximately 260 billion won in corruption and poor management in the solar power project conducted during the Moon Jae-in administration, he provoked the opposition by saying, "It is regrettable that taxpayers’ money, which should have been used for welfare and support for the vulnerable, was used in cartel corruption."

Inside and outside the ruling party and the Presidential Office, it is anticipated that to conduct a full investigation of local governments nationwide, not only the Office for Government Policy Coordination but also government investigative agencies such as the Board of Audit and Inspection, police, and prosecution will comprehensively investigate the allegations. A ruling party official said, "To root out corruption even in opposition-leaning local governments that are uncooperative with the government, investigative agencies with enforcement power may participate."

The Democratic Party declared a hardline stance. Floor Spokesperson Lee Su-jin expressed regret in a statement, saying, "The forced appointment of Lee Won-seok and Han Ki-jung is an extension of reckless autocracy that ignores the National Assembly." She criticized, "It means completing a prosecution republic and strengthening a market order centered on large conglomerates." Party leader Lee Jae-myung said at an on-site Supreme Council meeting held in Jeonbuk that "We will exercise the authority given to us to the maximum extent according to the will of the people through a speed strategy." Floor leader Park Hong-geun urged, mentioning the budget for the new guesthouse, "President Yoon should immediately apologize to the people for deceiving them about the relocation costs."

The Presidential Office plans to promote a meeting between the ruling and opposition party leaders after President Yoon’s overseas trip. However, with tensions rising due to the regular National Assembly session and the first state audit of the new government, even this is expected to be difficult.

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