[Asia Economy Reporter Baek Kyunghwan] Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol is resuming visits to regional prosecutors' offices. After visiting Busan and Gwangju in February, he had suspended visits to regional prosecutors' offices for eight months due to the spread of COVID-19, but will restart on the 29th with visits to Daejeon High Prosecutors' Office and District Prosecutors' Office. Amid ongoing controversies over Prosecutor General Yoon's remarks following the National Assembly inspection, attention is focused on what message he will deliver during this Daejeon visit.
On the 28th, the Supreme Prosecutors' Office announced, "Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol will visit Daejeon High Prosecutors' Office and District Prosecutors' Office to conduct encouragement visits that have been ongoing since early this year." This visit is the third, following visits to Busan High Prosecutors' Office and District Prosecutors' Office and Gwangju High Prosecutors' Office and District Prosecutors' Office in February. Prosecutor General Yoon had considered a visit schedule to Daegu High Prosecutors' Office and District Prosecutors' Office on the 27th of the same month, but postponed the visit due to the spread of COVID-19. The scale of the event will also be significantly reduced and conducted in the form of a 'High Prosecutors' Office and District Prosecutors' Office meeting,' excluding branch offices.
During this visit, Prosecutor General Yoon is expected to reunite with prosecutors classified as close aides. First, Prosecutor Lee Doo-bong, head of Daejeon District Prosecutors' Office, is a key aide of Prosecutor General Yoon. When Yoon was the head of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, Prosecutor Lee served as the first deputy chief, and after Yoon became Prosecutor General, Lee was promoted to head of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office Scientific Investigation Department. However, after Minister Choo's inauguration in January, he was transferred to head of Daejeon District Prosecutors' Office.
There is also Deputy Chief Prosecutor Lee Bok-hyun of the Criminal Division 3, who investigated the 'National Intelligence Service comment manipulation case' and the 'State Affairs Manipulation case' alongside Prosecutor General Yoon. Deputy Chief Lee led the Economic Crime Criminal Division at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office and investigated the Samsung Group's illegal succession allegations.
Additionally, Prosecutor Yang Seok-jo of Daejeon High Prosecutors' Office, who worked with Prosecutor General Yoon on the special prosecution team for the 'State Affairs Manipulation case,' will also be met. Prosecutor Yang was transferred to Daejeon High Prosecutors' Office following the 'funeral home insubordination' incident while serving as a senior researcher in the Anti-Corruption and Violence Division at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office.
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