Hong Jun-pyo "Moon Jae-in, Petty President... Regime Trying to Make Prosecutor General a Puppet"

Former Liberty Korea Party leader Hong Joon-pyo is speaking at a lecture titled "Talking about Nation Rebuilding with Hong Joon-pyo and Youth" held on the afternoon of September 3 last year at Bongnim Hall, Changwon National University, Uichang-gu, Changwon-si, Gyeongnam. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Heo Midam] Former Liberty Korea Party leader Hong Joon-pyo said on the 8th regarding the personnel conflict between the Ministry of Justice and the prosecution, "This administration, which appointed an active lawmaker as Minister of Justice to pressure the Prosecutor General they appointed and tried to make the Prosecutor General a figurehead through prosecution personnel appointments, is the most petty president I have seen in my 25 years in politics."

On the same day, Hong posted on his Facebook, saying, "Not only has the prosecution's heart (檢心) left, but the people's heart (民心) has already departed."

He criticized, "The regime is maintaining its lifeline through government-controlled opinion polls, but that will be decided in the April general election," adding, "Since the opposition parties that should represent the people's will are failing to unite and are losing sight of the big picture for small gains, the public is actually more worried about the opposition."

He then urged, "Everyone should let go and take the path of great unity for the country," emphasizing, "That is the only way for the Republic of Korea."

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Justice carried out personnel appointments for 32 senior prosecutors at the chief prosecutor level on the 13th, effective from that date. As a result, most of the aides who supported Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl were replaced.

Han Dong-hoon, head of the Anti-Corruption and Strong Crime Division at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, who led investigations into former Minister of Justice Cho Kuk's family corruption and the Blue House's cover-up allegations, was transferred to Deputy Chief Prosecutor of the Busan High Prosecutors' Office. Park Chan-ho, head of the Public Investigation Division at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, who is investigating allegations of Blue House election interference, was reassigned as Chief Prosecutor of Jeju District Prosecutors' Office.

Lee Sung-yoon, Director of the Prosecution Bureau and a university junior of President Moon Jae-in, was appointed Chief Prosecutor of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office. Jo Nam-gwan, former head of the Special Inspection Team at the Blue House during the Roh Moo-hyun administration, was appointed Director of the Prosecution Bureau, a key position overseeing prosecution personnel and budget affairs and receiving reports on major cases nationwide.

The Ministry of Justice stated regarding this personnel reshuffle, "We aimed to revitalize the organization through appointments that align with human rights, people's livelihood, and the rule of law," adding, "We moved away from the previous personnel centered on specific departments and actively promoted excellent frontline prosecutors who had not been properly evaluated."