Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae (left) and Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl. [Image source=Yonhap News]
[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Seok-jin] The Ministry of Justice has expressed its position that it will effectively consider the proposal by Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol to form an independent investigation headquarters to investigate the 'media-prosecution collusion' case as 'non-compliance with orders,' stating that "it cannot be seen as carrying out the minister's instructions literally."
As Minister of Justice Chu Mi-ae rejected Prosecutor General Yoon's proposal, which came six days after his investigation command, the conflict between the two appears to have entered a phase where reconciliation is difficult. By refusing Yoon's proposal, Yoon is now in a position where he must reconsider whether to abandon the formation of the investigation headquarters and allow the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office investigation team, which has been investigating the case from the start, to continue the investigation and relinquish his command authority, or to make another decision.
On the afternoon of the 8th, the Ministry of Justice stated, "The Prosecutor General's proposal effectively includes the replacement and change of the investigation team, so it cannot be seen as carrying out the minister's instructions literally."
Earlier that day, Prosecutor General Yoon proposed the formation of an independent investigation headquarters, including the current Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office investigation team, in response to Minister of Justice Chu Mi-ae's investigation command regarding the 'media-prosecution collusion' case. The proposal also included having the Seoul High Prosecutors' Office Chief take responsibility for the investigation headquarters, with Yoon himself not directly commanding the investigation but only receiving reports on the results.
There seemed to be room for debate on whether Yoon's proposal literally followed Minister Chu's command to "guarantee the independent investigation of the existing investigation team."
However, since the Ministry of Justice had earlier declared it would consider the appointment of a special prosecutor as 'non-compliance with orders' and Yoon proposed forming an investigation headquarters including the existing investigation team and stated he would not directly command the investigation, there is also an aspect that this can be seen as largely accepting Minister Chu's command.
Nonetheless, with Minister Chu clearly stating that it cannot be seen as "carried out literally," it is expected to be difficult for Prosecutor General Yoon to push forward with forming the investigation headquarters.
Previously, on the 2nd, Minister Chu instructed Prosecutor General Yoon to halt the procedure of the expert investigation advisory group that was assessing the appropriateness of the media-prosecution collusion investigation and to guarantee the independence of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office investigation team.
Meanwhile, Prosecutor General Yoon chose to entrust the command of the investigation to the head of the Seoul High Prosecutors' Office (Chief Prosecutor Kim Young-dae), the superior institution of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office where the investigation is currently underway. This reflects Yoon's distrust of Lee Sung-yoon, the head of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office.
Kim Young-dae, the Seoul High Prosecutors' Office Chief (age 56, Judicial Research and Training Institute class 22), whom Yoon recommended as the head of the investigation headquarters, graduated from Yeongnam High School in Daegu and the Law Department and Graduate School of Law at Kyungpook National University, and began his career as a prosecutor at Cheongju District Prosecutors' Office in 1993.
In terms of Judicial Research and Training Institute classes, he is one class senior to both Prosecutor General Yoon and Chief Lee, who are from class 23.
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