Yoon Seok-yeol Breaks Silence: "We Must Reject Dictatorship Disguised as Democracy" (Comprehensive)

Strong Remarks at New Prosecutor Appointment Ceremony
Choo Mi-ae: "Prosecutors Are Human Rights Supervisors... Must Exercise Prosecutorial Power with Restraint and Balance"

Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol is delivering a greeting at the new prosecutors' registration ceremony held at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office on the 3rd.
[Photo by Supreme Prosecutors' Office]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol and Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae left messages reflecting their intentions at a meeting with newly appointed prosecutors.

However, neither Prosecutor General Yoon nor Minister Choo commented on the recent scuffle among prosecutors that occurred during a search and seizure operation conducted by the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office investigation team amid the so-called 'media-prosecution collusion' allegations.

Making his first public appearance in over a month, Prosecutor General Yoon urged the new prosecutors regarding cases of corruption and power-related misconduct, saying, "Under no circumstances should you turn a blind eye; boldly confront these cases and strictly exercise the law enforcement authority entrusted to you by the people."

At the commissioning ceremony for new prosecutors held on the 3rd at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office in Seocho-dong, Seoul, Yoon emphasized, "Law enforcement must be fair and just to everyone."

Yoon defined "criminal law enforcement" as the fundamental duty of prosecutors, stating, "Criminal laws that define criminal offenses form part of the legal system topped by the Constitution. They are key laws that guarantee the effectiveness of other laws and protect constitutional values. Therefore, prosecutors must always uphold the constitutional values with solemn dedication."

He continued, "You must always deeply engrave in your heart the constitutional spirit embedded in criminal law, which includes liberal democracy, fair competition, and protection of the socially vulnerable," adding, "Liberal democracy does not ignore equality and focus solely on freedom. It refers to true democracy that rejects dictatorship and totalitarianism disguised as democracy."

Furthermore, he said, "Liberal democracy is realized through the rule of law," and urged, "You must enforce the law fairly and justly to everyone, keeping in mind not only the immediate stakeholders in each case but also potential stakeholders who may face similar cases in the future."

Regarding ongoing discussions in the National Assembly and elsewhere about investigation authority adjustments and prosecution reforms, Yoon mentioned "restructuring the investigation system to focus on trials," emphasizing, "Investigations should be regarded as preparation for prosecution trials. The work system in the prosecutor's office must also center on trials."

He added, "Guaranteeing the right to defense and restraining detention are key to human rights-centered investigations," and stated, "Detention should be an extremely exceptional measure, only when unavoidable for the proper enforcement of criminal law and the safety of the social community."

Yoon stressed, "We must dispel the mistaken perception that detention equates to punishment or investigative success," and warned, "The prosecution must not abuse its superior position by wielding coercive investigation powers." He also urged, "Do not ask how the state and prosecution organization will guarantee your status and future; instead, constantly ask yourselves how you will serve the people and the nation."

Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae is delivering a greeting at the commissioning ceremony for new prosecutors held at the Government Complex Gwacheon on the 3rd. Photo by Moon Ho-nam munonam@

Minister Choo met with the new prosecutors about two hours before Prosecutor General Yoon and defined the role of prosecutors as "human rights supervisors."

She also emphasized their function as "legal professionals who maintain public prosecution" and "prosecutors," but did not use the term "investigators." This choice of words contrasts with the prosecution's principle that "prosecutors speak through investigations."

This is interpreted as a statement emphasizing the necessity of recent discussions within the ruling party regarding prosecution reform, including adjustments to investigative authority between the prosecution and police.

At the commissioning ceremony for new prosecutors held in the underground auditorium of Government Complex Gwacheon Building 1, Minister Choo described prosecutors as human rights supervisors and stressed, "You must faithfully perform your fundamental role of controlling the legality of investigations."

She added, "The prosecution was established to protect the people's human rights and must function as legal professionals who control police investigations and maintain public prosecution."

She also said, "To restore public trust in the prosecution, prosecutorial power must be exercised with restraint and balance, always prioritizing the people's human rights."

Twenty-six new prosecutors attended the ceremony. Among them were 25 who passed the 6th bar exam and one from the 26th Judicial Research and Training Institute class.

Minister Choo urged them, "As prosecutors entrusted with the duty to protect the lives and property of the people, you must carry out your responsibilities with a sense of justice and mission, doing your best to ensure that the rights of socially vulnerable groups are not violated." She added, "The many cases you will encounter as prosecutors are important matters that can affect someone's life. Rather than mechanically applying the law, I hope you listen to the stories of marginalized and vulnerable people and consider various aspects to realize substantive justice."

She continued, "Since January, we have been promoting investigation authority reform to decentralize prosecutorial power and lay the foundation for a democratic criminal justice system where prosecution and police mutually check and balance each other," and said, "I hope the new prosecutors understand the purpose of the system well and work hard to ensure the successful rooting of investigation authority reform."