Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol Files Injunction to Suspend 'Duty Suspension Order' at Court... Likely to Submit Cancellation Lawsuit Today

On the 24th, leaving the prosecution, "I will take legal action to uphold the rule of law, not the position"

Yoon Seok-yeol, Prosecutor General. [Photo by Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Seok-jin] Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol has filed a request for a suspension of the enforcement of the Ministry of Justice Minister Chu Mi-ae's order to suspend his duties with the court.

According to Lee Wan-gyu, a lawyer from Dongin Law Firm representing Prosecutor General Yoon, Yoon submitted the suspension of enforcement application to the Seoul Administrative Court online around 10:30 PM the previous day. This was just one day after Minister Chu's disciplinary request and suspension order on the 24th.

A suspension of enforcement is a court decision that temporarily halts the effect of an administrative disposition until the main lawsuit's outcome is determined, when it is recognized that irreparable damage may occur due to the administrative action.

It is known that Prosecutor General Yoon plans to file the main lawsuit seeking the cancellation of the suspension order on the same day.

Yoon has reportedly appointed lawyers Lee Wan-gyu and Lee Seok-woong from Seo Woo Law Firm as his legal representatives.

Yoon's side emphasized in the suspension of enforcement application that the six reasons cited by Minister Chu as grounds for the disciplinary request and suspension order are factually incorrect. In particular, they stated that the allegations of illegal surveillance of the judiciary were greatly distorted.

Even if some grounds are true, they highlighted that these do not justify the severe disciplinary action of suspension, emphasizing the unfairness of the suspension order, according to Yoon's side.

Meanwhile, it is reported that on the 24th, when Yoon left the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, he told his close aides, "I will respond legally not for the position but to protect democracy and the rule of law."

If the court accepts Prosecutor General Yoon's suspension of enforcement application, Minister Chu's suspension order will be suspended until the main lawsuit's result is determined. In this case, Yoon will be able to resume his duties as Prosecutor General and challenge the suspension order's validity.

On the other hand, if the court rejects Yoon's suspension of enforcement application, he will have to carry out the lawsuit to cancel the suspension order while being excluded from his duties as Prosecutor General.