Prosecutors General and Chief Prosecutors Voice Opinions: "Special Prosecutor Needed... Excluding Chief Prosecutor from Command is Illegal"

The Supreme Prosecutors' Office decided not to convene the advisory panel for the investigation into the alleged collusion between prosecutors and the media, which was scheduled for the 3rd. This decision partially reflects the opinion of Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae, who exercised her investigative command authority on the 2nd. Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol plans to hold consecutive meetings with the heads of high prosecutors' offices and chief prosecutors nationwide on the morning and afternoon of the 3rd to discuss whether to accept Minister Choo's exercise of investigative command authority. The photo shows the Supreme Prosecutors' Office in Seocho-gu, Seoul, on that day. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] On the 6th, the Supreme Prosecutors' Office reported to Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol the results of a meeting of chief prosecutors, which agreed to suspend the procedure of the expert investigation advisory panel regarding the 'prosecutor-media collusion' suspicion case and expressed the need to introduce an independent special prosecutor.

They also conveyed the chief prosecutors' opinion that the investigation directive by Minister of Justice Chu Mi-ae, which ordered Prosecutor General Yoon not to be involved in this case, was illegal and improper.

The Planning and Coordination Department of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office disclosed this report to the public in the afternoon of the same day.

According to the content released by the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, at the chief prosecutors' meeting held on the 3rd, the attendees agreed that "it is appropriate for the Prosecutor General to suspend the procedure of the expert investigation advisory panel, and for a fair and strict investigation, the introduction of an independent special prosecutor is necessary."

They also shared the view that "the part of the Ministry of Justice Minister's investigation directive excluding the Prosecutor General from supervision and command is, in effect, suspending the Prosecutor General's duties, and thus is illegal or improper."

Regarding the issue of the Prosecutor General's position, they exchanged opinions that "this matter is not related to the Prosecutor General's position."

It is known that Prosecutor General Yoon is reviewing his final stance on Minister Chu's investigation directive after receiving the results of the chief prosecutors' meeting. Inside and outside the prosecution, it is expected that Prosecutor General Yoon's final position may be announced as early as the 7th.