Prosecutors and Judges Face 'Cutoff' Blade... Only Lee Seong-yoon and Jeon Sang-beom Advance to Finals

Park Yong-ho, Shin Sung-sik, Kim Sang-min Cutoff

'2 out of 5 people (40%)'.

This is the nomination report card of incumbent judges and prosecutors aiming to enter Yeouido. Despite controversies over political neutrality and the risk of disciplinary action, the candidacy wave of incumbent legal professionals who struck Seocho-dong seems to have ended as a 'tempest in a teapot,' failing to overcome the so-called system nomination barriers.

[Image source=Beomryul Newspaper]

This general election saw a noticeable number of prosecutors declaring their candidacy while still in office. Despite Prosecutor General Lee Won-seok's warning, former Daejeon High Prosecutors' Office prosecutor Kim Sang-min (46, Judicial Research and Training Institute class 35) and former Busan High Prosecutors' Office prosecutor Park Yong-ho (59, class 22), who had not had their resignation letters accepted, were cut off.

Former prosecutor Kim ran as a People Power Party preliminary candidate in Changwon Uichang, Gyeongnam, and former prosecutor Park ran in Miryang-Uiryeong-Haman-Changnyeong, Gyeongnam, but both were eliminated. Both received three-month suspensions from the Ministry of Justice. Shin Sung-sik (59, class 27), a research fellow at the Judicial Research and Training Institute, also registered as a Democratic Party preliminary candidate in Suncheon-Gwangyang-Gokseong-Gurye Gap, Jeonnam, but was cut off. The Ministry of Justice imposed the highest level of disciplinary action, dismissal, on research fellow Shin, who was indicted in the 'Han Dong-hoon recording report incident.'

[Image source=Beomryul Newspaper]

The only incumbent prosecutor who survived the cut-off was Lee Sung-yoon (62, class 23), a research fellow at the Judicial Research and Training Institute. Lee won the Democratic Party primary in Jeonbuk Jeonju Eul on the 4th. Before the primary, Lee had been dismissed by the Ministry of Justice but faced no restrictions on running. Lee was disciplined after criticizing the 'Yoon Seok-yeol faction' by comparing it to the 'Chun Doo-hwan Hanahoe' at former Minister of Justice Cho Kuk's book launch event.

Legal professional candidates who received nominations have begun preparing for the main election. Former Uijeongbu District Court Chief Judge Jeon Sang-beom (45, class 34), who joined the People Power Party two days after his resignation was accepted, is challenging Seoul Gangbuk Gap. Former presidential legal secretary and prosecutor Joo Jin-woo (49, class 31) is running in Busan Haeundae Gap, and former personnel secretary Lee Won-mo (44, class 37) is a candidate in Gyeonggi Yongin Gap. Candidates who left the prosecution more than five years ago are also progressing smoothly in the race.

Former Seoul Southern District Prosecutor General Kim Jin-mo (58, class 19) was nominated unopposed in Chungbuk Cheongju Seowon, former Gwangju High Prosecutors' Office chief Park Gyun-taek (58, class 21) is contesting Gwangju Gwangsan Gap, and former Busan High Prosecutors' Office chief Yang Bu-nam (63, class 22) is competing in the People’s Primary in Gwangju Seo-gu Eul. In the 2020 21st general election, 117 legal professionals ran, with 46 elected, including 15 prosecutors. In the 2016 20th general election, 126 legal professionals ran, with 49 elected, including 18 prosecutors.

In this 22nd general election, even more legal professionals have expressed their desire for a gold badge. There are 133 lawyers registered as preliminary candidates, and including incumbent judges and prosecutors and legal professionals from the Presidential Office, at least 140 legal professionals have thrown their hats into the ring.

Woo Bin, Legal Newspaper Reporter

※This article is based on content supplied by Law Times.

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