Prosecutor Personnel Announcement by Choo Mi-ae... Woo Won-sik: "Someone Who Will Act According to Conscience" vs Joo Ho-young: "Worst Minister of Justice"

Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae. Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Heo Midam] As Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae is set to carry out high-level personnel appointments in the prosecution, the ruling party responded that Minister Choo would proceed with the appointments according to her convictions, while the opposition party predicted strong public resistance.

On the 6th, Woo Won-shik of the Democratic Party and Joo Ho-young of the Liberty Korea Party appeared on YTN's "Noh Young-hee's Start New Morning" to debate Minister Choo's exercise of personnel authority over the prosecution.

Rep. Woo said of Minister Choo, "When I was the floor leader, she was the party leader. She is someone I often clashed with. She is very stubborn and acts according to her own convictions," adding, "Even if those around her say, 'Given the party situation, let's do it this way,' it doesn't matter."

He continued, "When passing the labor law before, even while our party members were absent, she passed the labor law together with Liberty Korea Party members because that was her conviction," and said, "Because she passed the labor law with Liberty Korea Party members, she was even disciplined by our party."

Rep. Woo then argued, "She talks about the 'Jul-tak-dong-si (啄同時)' of prosecutorial reform, meaning that both inside and outside the prosecution must work together for reform. Isn't prosecutorial reform a historical mission now?"

Earlier, on the 3rd, Minister Choo said, "For the successful completion of prosecutorial reform, 'Jul-tak-dong-si,' where determination and response toward reform are simultaneously carried out inside and outside the prosecution, must be achieved." 'Jul-tak-dong-si' refers to the idea that for a chick to hatch from an egg, both the mother hen and the chick must peck from inside and outside, emphasizing that alongside external reform efforts, the prosecution must also internally keep pace with change.

On the other hand, Rep. Joo said, "I opposed Minister Choo's appointment," and argued, "Isn't the president's intention in appointing Minister Choo to put a brake on the prosecution and, if necessary, dismantle the investigation team?"

He added, "Ahead of the general election, ruling party members withdrew from the investigation of election-related crimes led by the Ministry of Justice, but sending them back before the election is the worst case among all Ministry of Justice appointments since liberation," he said.

He continued, "Minister Choo says she will change the prosecution from its roots. Also, according to media reports, there are signs of cutting off Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl's aides," and said, "I believe the public will strongly resist."