Choo Mi-ae, New Minister of Justice, First Day at Work and Inauguration Ceremony Tomorrow... Attention on Personnel Appointments

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] The new Minister of Justice, Choo Mi-ae, who has shown a strong will for 'prosecutorial reform,' will begin her full-fledged activities starting tomorrow.

According to Ministry of Justice officials on the 2nd, Minister Choo will receive her appointment letter at the Blue House in the afternoon and will go to the Government Complex Gwacheon for the first time on the morning of the 3rd to hold an inauguration ceremony and start work. It is expected that she will also announce an inaugural address on the 3rd, which will include her commitment to prosecutorial reform.

Earlier that morning, Minister Choo visited the National Cemetery with President Moon Jae-in to pay respects and reaffirm her determination to carry out her duties as minister.

With Minister Choo's appointment, the position of Minister of Justice has been filled for the first time in 80 days since former Minister Cho Kuk resigned on October 14 of last year. Accordingly, there are expectations that the government's strong will for prosecutorial reform will gain momentum. Recently, the National Assembly passed the bill to establish the High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Office (Gonggi Nori), and the adjustment of investigative authority between the prosecution and police is also expected to be processed soon. Attention is focused on whether Minister Choo will bring the prosecutorial reform to its pinnacle.

To this end, Minister Choo is expected to exercise personnel authority immediately upon taking office. According to the legal community, the Ministry of Justice plans to carry out personnel changes for senior officials, including new prosecutors general, as early as mid-this month. While filling six vacant positions such as the prosecutors general of Daejeon, Daegu, and Gwangju, the deputy prosecutors general of Busan and Suwon, and the planning director of the Judicial Research and Training Institute, some changes are also expected in the existing prosecutors general assignments.

In particular, it is known that the deputy prosecutors who lead investigations at local prosecution offices and the command line at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office may change, creating tension within the prosecution. There is also analysis that prosecutors in charge of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office's Anti-Corruption Investigation Division 2, which investigated former Minister Cho Kuk's 'family corruption' allegations; the Public Investigation Division 2, which is investigating the Ulsan mayoral election interference allegations; and the Criminal Division 6 investigation team of the Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors' Office, which is investigating the alleged cover-up of the inspection of former Busan Deputy Mayor Yoo Jae-soo, may be reassigned. To this end, it is reported that the Blue House instructed the police on the 30th of last month to collect character assessments on about 150 candidates for prosecution executive personnel.

At the personnel hearing on the 30th of last month, Minister Choo emphasized, "Prosecutorial personnel appointments are not made in consultation with the Prosecutor General but opinions are heard," and added, "I believe that some organizational restructuring is necessary for the prosecution to regain the trust of the people."

Considering this, the prosecution may accelerate investigations that have recently clashed with the government. The prosecution has virtually concluded the investigation by indicting individuals related to the 'suspension of inspection' allegations concerning former Busan Deputy Mayor Yoo Jae-soo. Regarding former Minister Cho Kuk's personal charges, they have been indicted without detention, and investigative efforts are focused on the allegations of 'Ulsan mayoral election interference' involving the Blue House and the police. Regarding these allegations, the prosecution is reviewing reapplying for an arrest warrant for Song Byung-gi, Ulsan Deputy Mayor for Economic Affairs, and on the 29th of last month, summoned and investigated former Blue House Senior Secretary for Civil Affairs Baek Won-woo and others.