Today, Meetings of Prosecutors Held at Over 10 Prosecutor's Offices Nationwide... Growing Opposition to 'Choo Mi-ae' Within the Prosecution

Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, Seocho-dong, Seoul.

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Seok-jin] Meetings of rank-and-file prosecutors to discuss response measures to Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae's disciplinary request and suspension order against Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol will be held simultaneously at more than 10 prosecutors' offices nationwide.

This collective action by prosecutors is the first in seven years since the 2013 incident involving the ousting of Prosecutor General Chae Dong-wook.

According to the legal community on the 26th, senior prosecutors' meetings were held the previous day at more than 10 prosecutors' offices, including the Seoul Western District Prosecutors' Office and Cheongju Prosecutors' Office. The senior prosecutor at each office is the most senior prosecutor among rank-and-file prosecutors, excluding chiefs and deputy chiefs.

At the meetings, senior prosecutors generally agreed that Minister Choo's measures against Prosecutor General Yoon were illegal and unjust, and decided to hold meetings with all rank-and-file prosecutors on the same day to gather their opinions.

After the meetings, rank-and-file prosecutors are expected to issue a statement urging the withdrawal of Minister Choo's disciplinary request and suspension order against Prosecutor General Yoon.

Some prosecutors' offices holding senior prosecutors' meetings on the same day indicate that the rank-and-file prosecutors' meetings are likely to spread nationwide.

Already, rank-and-file prosecutors at the Busan Eastern District Prosecutors' Office held a meeting the previous day and criticized Minister Choo's actions, stating, "At this point, when the facts have not been sufficiently confirmed, requesting disciplinary action and ordering suspension against the Prosecutor General is an illegal and unjust measure," and "It is difficult to understand the unprecedented reason for suspending the Prosecutor General's duties before verifying the facts." They urged reconsideration, saying, "This measure seriously undermines the neutrality and independence of the prosecution system, which must perform the quasi-judicial functions of the state."

On the same day, about 30 rank-and-file prosecutors from the 34th Judicial Research and Training Institute class or below, affiliated with the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, also held a meeting of prosecutors' researchers at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office and reached a similar conclusion, issuing a statement.

These researchers stated, "The Minister of Justice's decision to abruptly prevent the Prosecutor General, who directs all investigations and is responsible for their results and whose term is guaranteed by law, from performing his duties through an unacceptable procedure and process not only infringes on the independence of prosecution work but also seriously undermines the rule of law, making it illegal and unjust."

They added, "We earnestly request the Minister of Justice to reconsider the disciplinary request and suspension order so that the prosecution can fulfill its duties and responsibilities according to the Constitution and conscience."

Amid the growing opposition within the prosecution to Minister Choo's measures, attention is focused on whether a meeting of rank-and-file prosecutors will be held at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, led by Chief Prosecutor Lee Seong-yoon, known as a representative 'pro-Choo Mi-ae' figure.