Im Eun-jeong: "The Prosecution Era Will End... Must Relinquish Powers That Cannot Be Handled"

Lim Eun-jeong, Inspection Policy Research Officer (Chief Prosecutor) at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office. / Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Kang Juhee] Im Eun-jeong, Chief Prosecutor of the Inspection Policy Research Office at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, stated on the 26th, "The era when the prosecution clutched powers it could not handle and acted as the leading force in society must come to an end." This appears to be a criticism of the collective action movement within the prosecution following Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae's disciplinary request and suspension order against Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol on the 24th.

In a post on her Facebook on the same day, Chief Prosecutor Im said, "I earnestly hoped that the prosecution would step down to the position it should be in by relinquishing powers it cannot handle, and that its retreat would not be as ugly as a sunset, even if not majestic. However, I also know well that this is unlikely."

She continued, "Since the powers overflow the vessel and cannot be managed, they inevitably overflow, and if there had been wisdom to feel shame and face reality, it would not have come to this, so the loud sounds of collision and breaking are inevitable." She added, "Nevertheless, the era of the prosecution will end, and our society will move forward again."

She also added, "As a member of the prosecution, I am upset but will face the sunset calmly and prepare for tomorrow."

Chief Prosecutor Im, who has usually taken a critical stance toward the prosecution organization, posted an article titled 'Prosecution Lament 2' on the internal prosecution network I-PROS on the 30th of last month, arguing that "the prosecution also needs self-reflection."

Meanwhile, on the second day after Minister Choo issued the disciplinary request and suspension order against Prosecutor General Yoon, collective actions by prosecutors opposing this have further spread. It is reported that frontline high prosecutors and mid-level executives at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office posted a statement on I-PROS asking for a "reconsideration" of the decision to suspend Prosecutor General Yoon's duties.