Yoon Seok-yeol Leads Opposition Presidential Candidates... Does Criticizing the Ruling Party Backfire?

President Moon entrusted with major prosecution reform role, but ruling party criticizes as 'obstacle to prosecution reform'... Opposition points to weakened expansion of other presidential candidates

[Asia Economy Reporters Ryu Jeong-min and Kang Na-hum] The current Prosecutor General leading the opposition presidential candidate race is an unprecedented scene in Korean political history. President Moon Jae-in entrusted Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol (photo) with the important task of 'prosecutorial reform,' but he seems to be falling into a trap instead.

This is because ruling party lawmakers are effectively demanding his voluntary resignation, citing that he is an obstacle to prosecutorial reform. The Blue House is keeping its words cautious. For whatever reason, if Prosecutor General Yoon steps down midway, the fallout will inevitably affect President Moon.

From the first Prosecutor General Kwon Seung-yeol to former Prosecutor General Moon Moo-il, none of the heads of prosecution in history have risen to the ranks of leading presidential candidates. While they may be well-known figures in the legal community, most are unfamiliar names to the general public. Prosecutor General Yoon is experiencing a special situation in many respects.

Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol is heading to the cafeteria for lunch with participants of the nationwide district prosecutors' chiefs and election-related deputy prosecutors' meeting held at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office in Seocho-gu, Seoul on the 10th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

Prosecutor General Yoon has never expressed any intention to participate in politics or run for the next presidential election. Nevertheless, the reason he is leading the opposition presidential candidate race is closely related to the reality of the opposition's lack of viable figures.

Before President Moon's inauguration, Prosecutor General Yoon had not even reached the position of 'chief prosecutor.' President Moon bestowed the title of chief prosecutor on Yoon and guided him along a fast-track promotion path to Seoul Central District Prosecutor and Prosecutor General.

This was because President Moon judged that Yoon was the right person to realize prosecutorial reform, one of the reasons he entered politics. In fact, on June 17 last year, the Blue House expressed expectations regarding Yoon's nomination, saying, "He will excellently accomplish prosecutorial reform, the mission of the era."

However, within the ruling party, Prosecutor General Yoon is identified as the biggest obstacle to the national agenda of prosecutorial reform. Some view Yoon's messages with suspicion. On the 3rd, at the new prosecutors' induction ceremony, Yoon stated, "(Liberal democracy) is true democracy that rejects dictatorship and totalitarianism disguised as democracy." This can clearly be interpreted as a political statement.

The ruling party immediately sharpened their stance. On the 5th, Kim Du-kwan, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, wrote on Facebook, "He attacked the president by calling him a dictator and totalitarian," and argued, "The Democratic Party should submit a motion to dismiss Prosecutor General Yoon." Lawmaker Seol Hoon also demanded Yoon's resignation.

It is also noteworthy that the more the ruling party attacks Prosecutor General Yoon, the more his political stature increases. This scene is not entirely welcome from the opposition's perspective, as it has the effect of shrinking the political expansion of the United Future Party's presidential candidates. However, the rise in Yoon's political value has provided a space for conservative supporters, who had nowhere to turn since former leader Hwang Kyo-ahn, to rally behind.