Prosecutor Personnel Changes Approaching in Ten Days... Outline May Emerge as Early as This Week

Prosecutor Personnel Committee Announces February 1st Ordinary Prosecutor Personnel Changes... Senior Appointments Likely Affected by New Minister's Inauguration

[Asia Economy Reporter Bae Kyunghwan] The Ministry of Justice's first regular prosecution personnel reshuffle of the year is just ten days away. Considering that advance notice is usually given to those subject to personnel changes starting ten days prior, the outline of the personnel changes for ordinary prosecutors is expected to be revealed as early as this week. While high-ranking personnel changes have traditionally been made before those for ordinary prosecutors, this year the order may change due to variables such as the ministerial replacement.

According to the legal community on the 19th, the Ministry of Justice is compiling a list of ordinary prosecutors for personnel changes based on the service evaluations of prosecutors completed in early last month. This is to reflect preferences for future assignments included in the service evaluations, and the Ministry's position is that they are establishing a personnel plan based on so-called 'trend exchanges' and the principle of personnel exchanges between the metropolitan area and provinces.

Earlier, on January 17, the Ministry of Justice held a Prosecution Personnel Committee meeting and decided to appoint ordinary prosecutors effective February 1, with the announcement scheduled for late January. The Personnel Committee deliberates on principles related to prosecutor personnel changes, and future personnel decisions are made based on the committee's deliberations.

Moreover, according to the Ministry of Justice's regulations on 'Prosecutor Transfers and Position Management,' the affected individuals must be notified at least 10 days before the personnel appointment date. Even in cases where compliance is difficult due to special circumstances, those circumstances must be announced in advance. Procedurally, this means that the personnel changes for ordinary prosecutors could be implemented as early as this week.

The variable is the personnel changes for senior executives. Although the Personnel Committee designated the regular personnel changes for ordinary prosecutors as effective February 1 regardless of the ministerial replacement, changes for high-ranking positions may vary depending on the inauguration timing of the new Minister of Justice. Regarding the nominee for Minister of Justice, Park Beom-gye, he stated about prosecution personnel changes, "The authority over personnel changes for prosecutors lies with the President, and the Minister of Justice is the recommender who is supposed to consult with the Prosecutor General. I am still just a nominee preparing for the confirmation hearing," thus not providing a specific stance.

However, considering that he publicly mentioned 'consultation with the Prosecutor General,' it can also be interpreted that he intends to personally review at least the high-ranking personnel changes after the confirmation hearing scheduled for the 25th. Within the prosecution, opinions are emerging that the new minister should carefully consider the appointments of senior executives who will lead the necessary organizational restructuring due to the strengthening of the trial divisions and the adjustment of investigative authority between the prosecution and police.

On the other hand, considering the launch of the High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Agency, there is also speculation that outgoing Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae might carry out both ordinary prosecutor and senior executive personnel changes before leaving. Although the legal community views it as highly unusual for a minister who has tendered resignation to execute personnel changes, the timing means the possibility cannot be completely ruled out.

The fact that this will be Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol's last regular personnel reshuffle is also a variable. Since Yoon's term ends in July this year, the extent to which the 'consultation with the Prosecutor General' mentioned by nominee Park will be realized is a key issue. Specifically, the biggest interest lies in whether prosecutors involved in investigations, such as Lee Doo-bong, head of the Daejeon District Prosecutors' Office, who is leading the probe into allegations of manipulation of the economic feasibility evaluation of Wolseong Nuclear Power Plant Unit 1, will be transferred. It is also expected that officials who signed critical statements, including Cho Nam-gwan, Deputy Prosecutor General who had officially requested reconsideration of disciplinary action and suspension against Prosecutor General Yoon, will be among those subject to personnel changes. Additionally, whether Prosecutor Han Dong-hoon, involved in a controversy over abuse of authority, and Jeong Jin-ung, Deputy Chief Prosecutor of the Gwangju District Prosecutors' Office, will be transferred is also a matter of interest.

A lawyer from the Supreme Prosecutors' Office commented, "Considering that over the past year, personnel changes for prosecutors were made without reflecting the Prosecutor General's intentions, causing ongoing friction, and that there were even moves toward organizational disintegration during the disciplinary process against the Prosecutor General, it is highly likely that the first regular personnel reshuffle after the new minister's inauguration will proceed in a direction to stabilize these issues."