New Deputy Minister Appointed One Day After Resignation of Ministry of Justice Deputy Minister... Prosecution Reform as Planned, Reflecting Cheong Atmosphere
[Asia Economy Reporter Ryu Jeong-min] President Moon Jae-in's appointment of lawyer Lee Yong-gu (former judge), who is not from the prosecution, as the new Deputy Minister of Justice is an expression of his determination to push forward prosecutorial reform according to the scheduled timetable. Lee Yong-gu, the new Deputy Minister, is a legal professional with a background as a judge and has no experience as a prosecutor. However, he has experience serving as the Legal Affairs Officer at the Ministry of Justice.
Kang Min-seok, the Blue House spokesperson, said on the 2nd, "President Moon Jae-in appointed lawyer Lee Yong-gu as the Deputy Minister of Justice today. His term will begin on the 3rd." President Moon's appointment of the Deputy Minister of Justice was made swiftly. It was announced just one day after former Deputy Minister of Justice Ko Ki-young expressed his intention to resign on the 1st. This move is a strategic measure to preempt controversy surrounding the timing of the Deputy Minister appointment.
The Blue House's haste in appointing the Deputy Minister of Justice signifies a change from its previous stance of distancing itself from the conflict between Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae and Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl. Regardless of the Blue House's intentions, it has become embroiled in the controversy originating from Seocho-dong. The decision to appoint the Deputy Minister before the Ministry of Justice's disciplinary committee scheduled for the 4th can also be interpreted as a sign of intent to proceed with the disciplinary process against Prosecutor General Yoon as planned.
With the court ruling that the decision to suspend Prosecutor General Yoon from duty was unjust, placing the ruling party on the defensive, this can also be seen as an effort to revive momentum for prosecutorial reform. The issue is that this choice may be a decision that blocks a political compromise as a detour. If the Ministry of Justice's disciplinary committee imposes a severe disciplinary action on Prosecutor General Yoon and President Moon approves it, the conflict could reach its peak.
Some within the ruling party believe that the controversy could be resolved through the joint resignation of Minister Choo and Prosecutor General Yoon, but the likelihood of this scenario materializing has diminished. From the beginning of this incident, the Blue House has maintained the principle that the matter should proceed according to law and procedure. This means that rather than President Moon intervening midway to resolve the issue politically, the process will follow legal and institutional procedures, with judgments made as necessary.
The appointment of a Deputy Minister of Justice who is not a former prosecutor is also noteworthy. Traditionally, the Ministry of Justice has appointed former prosecutors not only as ministers but also as deputy ministers. This time, following Minister Choo, the Deputy Minister position was also filled by a former judge. This is seen as a choice to secure momentum for prosecutorial reform, but it is also expected to become a new point of resistance from the prosecution side.
However, considering that Lee Yong-gu has experience working as the Legal Affairs Officer at the Ministry of Justice, it is difficult to say he lacks experience in legal administration. Spokesperson Kang Min-seok said, "The new Deputy Minister Lee Yong-gu is a former judge who served in the courts for over 20 years and was appointed as the first non-prosecutor Legal Affairs Officer at the Ministry of Justice in August 2017, serving for 2 years and 8 months."
Kang added, "He has been highly evaluated not only for his legal expertise but also for his deep understanding of the Ministry of Justice's overall work, so it is expected that he will contribute to fairly and neutrally resolving pressing issues such as prosecutorial reform and stabilizing the organization."
Meanwhile, the new Deputy Minister Lee Yong-gu was born in 1964 and graduated from Daewon High School in Seoul and Seoul National University with a degree in law. He passed the 33rd Judicial Examination (23rd class of the Judicial Research and Training Institute) and has served as a chief judge at the Gwangju District Court, a lawyer at the law firm LKB & Partners, and as the Legal Affairs Officer at the Ministry of Justice.
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