[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Yoon-joo] Prosecutors at the Busan District Prosecutors' Office Eastern Branch have issued a statement opposing Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae's disciplinary request and suspension of Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol. It is reported that this is the first time a meeting of rank-and-file prosecutors has been held and a statement issued at a district prosecutors' office nationwide.
According to Yonhap News on the 25th, Prosecutor Lee Dong-won of the Busan District Prosecutors' Office Eastern Branch posted a message titled "Unified Position of Rank-and-File Prosecutors of Busan District Prosecutors' Office Eastern Branch on the Suspension and Disciplinary Request of the Prosecutor General" on the internal prosecution network 'Eprose' on behalf of the rank-and-file prosecutors of the office.
The rank-and-file prosecutors of the Eastern Branch stated in the message, "At this point, where the facts have not been sufficiently confirmed, requesting disciplinary action against the Prosecutor General and ordering his suspension is an illegal and unjust measure," and added, "It is also difficult to accept the unprecedented decision to suspend the Prosecutor General before verifying the facts."
They further added, "This is a measure that seriously undermines the neutrality and independence of the prosecution system, which must perform the quasi-judicial functions of the state, and should be reconsidered."
The previous day, Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae held a briefing at the Seoul High Prosecutors' Office and ordered the suspension of Prosecutor General Yoon's duties. The reasons for the suspension cited by Minister Choo include inappropriate contact with a media company owner, illegal surveillance of trial courts in major cases such as the former Minister Cho Kuk case, obstruction of inspection and investigation related to the Channel A case and former Prime Minister Han Myeong-sook case, obstruction of inspection during the face-to-face investigation of the Prosecutor General, and damage to trust regarding political neutrality.
In response, Prosecutor General Yoon stated that he "will legally respond to the illegal and unjust measures to the end."
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