Jung Sungho to Hold Media Q&A Tomorrow... Expected to Address 'Daejang-dong Appeal Withdrawal'

Justice Minister Jung Sungho is expected to issue a statement on November 10 regarding the prosecution's decision to abandon the appeal in the Daejang-dong case.

On November 9, the Ministry of Justice announced, "At around 10:30 a.m. on the 10th, the Minister will conduct a doorstepping session (informal Q&A)."

During the doorstepping session, Minister Jung is expected to clarify the Ministry of Justice's position on the prosecution's decision to abandon the appeal in the Daejang-dong case, as well as the decision-making process at the time.

Justice Minister Sungsoh Jung is responding to a lawmaker's question during the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee's audit of the Ministry of Justice held on the 14th of last month. Photo by Hyunmin Kim

Previously, the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office did not file an appeal by midnight on November 7, the deadline, against the first-instance verdict for Yoo Donggyu, former head of planning at Seongnam Development Corporation, and private contractors indicted on charges including breach of trust under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Economic Crimes. If the prosecution gives up its appeal, under the Criminal Procedure Act's "prohibition of unfavorable changes" principle, the court cannot impose a heavier sentence than in the first trial.

The Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office initially expressed the opinion that an appeal should be filed according to established work practices, but it is reported that the Supreme Prosecutors' Office leadership, after hearing the Ministry of Justice's opinion, did not accept this. The final authority to decide whether to appeal rests with the chief prosecutor of the local prosecutors' office, but for major cases, consultations with the Supreme Prosecutors' Office are customary.

Subsequently, the investigation team protested, claiming they were unable to file an appeal due to improper instructions from higher-ups, and on November 8, Jung Jinwoo, Chief Prosecutor of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office (29th class of the Judicial Research and Training Institute), expressed his intention to resign, reflecting ongoing internal and external backlash.

On the same day, Norman Seok Noh, Acting Prosecutor General (29th class of the Judicial Research and Training Institute) issued a statement explaining the process behind the decision to abandon the appeal, saying, "It was a decision made after careful consideration, under my responsibility as Acting Prosecutor General and in consultation with the Chief Prosecutor of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office." In contrast, Chief Prosecutor Jung of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office released a separate statement immediately after Noh's, asserting, "I tried to persuade the Supreme Prosecutors' Office of our opinion, but was unable to do so."

As the two key parties in the decision-the Acting Prosecutor General and the Chief Prosecutor of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office-have issued statements that can be interpreted differently regarding the circumstances of the Daejang-dong appeal withdrawal, there are growing concerns that internal conflict within the prosecution may intensify going forward.