Last Prosecutor General under Moon Administration Kim Osu Begins Hearing Preparation... "The Most Important Task is Organizational Stability" (Comprehensive)

Challenges Including Organizational Stability, Prosecution Reform, and Political Neutrality
Attention on Wrapping Up 'Regime-Related' and 'Yoon Seok-yeol Family' Investigations Ahead of Presidential Election

Kim Oh-soo, the nominee for Prosecutor General, is arriving at the office set up at the Seoul High Prosecutors' Office in Seocho-gu, Seoul on the 4th. Photo by Moon Ho-nam munonam@

[Asia Economy reporters Seokjin Choi, Hyungmin Kim, Daehyun Kim] Kim Osu, the nominee for the last Prosecutor General under the Moon Jae-in administration (age 58, Judicial Research and Training Institute class 20), began preparations for the National Assembly confirmation hearing on the 4th, citing "organizational stability" as his top priority.

Backed by the full trust of the current administration, Kim was nominated as the next Prosecutor General candidate by moving up three classes in the Judicial Research and Training Institute ranking. However, he now faces the difficult task of reorganizing the fragmented prosecution and completing prosecution reform.

In particular, as Kim is classified as pro-government, he must dispel concerns about political neutrality in investigations related to the administration and the family of former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol.

Preparation for Confirmation Hearing Begins... Emphasizes 'Organizational Stability' Over 'Prosecution Reform'

On the morning of the same day, Kim arrived at the Seoul High Prosecutors' Office in Seocho-dong, Seoul, where the confirmation hearing preparation office was set up, stating, "I want to express once again that I feel a heavy sense of responsibility," and added, "If I pass the confirmation hearing process and am appointed as Prosecutor General, I believe stabilizing the organization will be most important. I will communicate and make great efforts to become a trusted prosecution, a prosecution focused on the people's livelihood, and a fair prosecution by harmonizing with internal members."

When asked by reporters, "What do you think is the most important task as Prosecutor General?" he replied, "It would be organizational stability. I think organizational stability is the most important." Regarding concerns about his political bias, he said, "I will also diligently ensure political neutrality. That is a given."

Prosecution Deeply Wounded by Repeated Conflicts with the Administration

As Kim himself acknowledges, the prosecution's biggest issue is reorganizing the organization. Under the current administration, the prosecution has been targeted as a key reform subject, losing a significant portion of its investigative authority and even its supervisory authority over the police.

Especially last year, as conflicts between former Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae and former Prosecutor General Yoon continued, the prosecution internally became sharply divided between some pro-government prosecutors supporting former Minister Choo and those opposing them.

In this process, many pro-government prosecutors were appointed to key positions, while prosecutors trusted by former Prosecutor General Yoon or those involved in investigations related to the administration were mostly demoted.

The morale of most prosecutors is low, dissatisfaction with the government and Ministry of Justice is accumulating, and internally the organization is divided into factions.

Kim also inherits the mission to resolve conflicts over investigative authority, such as with the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) and the "scope of case transfers," and to redefine the relationship with the police, which has changed due to the adjustment of investigative rights, thereby completing prosecution reform.

Political Neutrality Hinges on Investigations Related to the Administration

How Kim will lead and conclude sensitive major investigations currently underway in the prosecution is also a matter of interest. It is most important how he will demonstrate political neutrality and dispel concerns about his "pro-government" label that has followed him since his nomination.

The "Kim Hak-eui illegal deportation" case, under simultaneous investigation by the Suwon District Prosecutors' Office and the CIO, involves Lee Kwang-chul, the Blue House civil affairs secretary, and Lee Sung-yoon, head of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office. Kim was recently questioned in writing because he was part of the command line at the time the incident occurred.

Fair and clean conclusions to investigations involving current administration figures, such as the "Wolseong Nuclear Power Plant" case by the Daejeon District Prosecutors' Office and the "Optimus" and "Blue House planned inspection" cases by the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, are also important tasks for him.

Investigation of Yoon Family, Leading Presidential Candidate, Provides Opposition Party with Attack Opportunity

Several investigations into the family of former Prosecutor General Yoon, initiated last year under the supervision of former Minister Choo, are also sensitive issues for Kim.

If he takes excessive measures to produce investigative results, the opposition party will likely attack Kim's political bias, claiming an "intention to influence the election." On the other hand, if most cases are dismissed, it could damage former Minister Choo, who pushed for excessive investigative supervision, or President Moon Jae-in, who neglected it.

Whether Lee, the head of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, will remain in his position after Kim's appointment as Prosecutor General, and whether prosecutors who led investigations related to the administration or those who opposed former Minister Choo's supervision will be demoted, will be the first test to gauge whether Kim can stabilize the prosecution organization.