Park Beom-gye "Prosecutor Mid-Level Executive Personnel Changes, Largest Scale Ever... Personnel Committee This Week"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] Park Beom-gye, Minister of Justice, has forecasted that the upcoming mid-level prosecutor personnel reshuffle will be "the largest scale in history."

On the morning of the 21st, as he arrived at the Ministry of Justice Gwacheon Government Complex, Minister Park told reporters, "This personnel reshuffle will involve promotions and transfers for almost all positions at the senior prosecutor level," indicating the scale of the changes.

He continued, "We have gone through a procedure to listen to very specific opinions regarding the personnel changes," adding, "The organizational reform plan still needs to pass the Vice Minister's meeting and the Cabinet meeting, so there was a brief mutual understanding on that part."

Minister Park met with Prosecutor General Kim Oh-soo at the Seoul High Prosecutors' Office the previous day to discuss the prosecutorial organizational reform plan and the mid-level personnel reshuffle.

Regarding whether the investigative teams at Suwon District Prosecutors' Office and Daejeon District Prosecutors' Office will be replaced, he avoided a direct answer, saying, "Since the personnel plan has not been announced, it is not the right time to disclose details."

There is significant interest inside and outside the prosecution regarding the positions of prosecutors who have been involved in investigations related to the current administration. Representative figures include Lee Jung-seop, chief prosecutor at Suwon District Prosecutors' Office who investigated the illegal travel ban case of former Deputy Minister of Justice Kim Hak-ui, and Lee Sang-hyun, chief prosecutor at Daejeon District Prosecutors' Office who investigated allegations of manipulation in the economic feasibility assessment of the Wolseong nuclear power plant.

Minister Park added, "I have had sufficient discussions with Prosecutor General Kim, and I do not think there is a need to meet again," and said, "The Prosecutor Personnel Committee will be convened within this week."