Yeohwanseop, Chief Prosecutor of Daejeon High Prosecutors' Office, "Prosecutor's Office Reform, Practical Operation Impossible... Hope to Regain Cold Reason"
Prosecutors' Internal Network "Let's Send an Appeal to the President and Speaker"... Nationwide Prosecutors' Meeting on the 19th
Yeo Hwan-seop, Chief Prosecutor of Daejeon High Prosecutors' Office, is answering reporters' questions on the 18th before attending an emergency meeting of high prosecutors at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office in Seocho-gu, Seoul. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@
[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Kyung-jun] On the 18th, an emergency meeting of the nationwide high prosecutors' offices was held amid the resignation of Prosecutor General Kim Oh-soo in protest against the Democratic Party's proposal of the 'Geomsu Wanbak' (complete removal of prosecutorial investigative authority) bill.
The high prosecutors' offices held an emergency meeting from the morning in the 8th-floor conference room of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office to discuss ▲organizational recovery plans after Prosecutor General Kim's resignation ▲response measures to the Geomsu Wanbak bill ▲and the possibility of all high prosecutors' offices resigning. Attendees included Park Sung-jin, Deputy Prosecutor of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office; Lee Sung-yoon, Head of Seoul High Prosecutors' Office; Kim Kwan-jung, Head of Suwon High Prosecutors' Office; Yeo Hwan-seop, Head of Daejeon High Prosecutors' Office; Jo Jong-tae, Head of Gwangju High Prosecutors' Office; Kwon Soon-beom, Head of Daegu High Prosecutors' Office; Jo Jae-yeon, Head of Busan High Prosecutors' Office; and Ye Se-min, Director of Planning and Coordination at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office.
Before attending the meeting, Yeo Hwan-seop, Head of the High Prosecutors' Office, told reporters, "We plan to discuss (statements regarding our positions, etc.)" and questioned, "How many citizens would accept being told to return to the police station for investigation when they do not trust police investigations and come to the prosecution?" He added, "There are too many problems with this amendment, making practical operation difficult. It concerns fundamental rights, but it is unreasonable to ignore the opinions of scholars, civic groups, and practitioners without holding public hearings. I hope they regain their calm rationality."
The meeting was convened following Prosecutor General Kim's sudden resignation the previous day. Kim had originally planned to appear before the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee that day to explain the unfairness of the Geomsu Wanbak bill. It is reported that the prosecution is in turmoil internally due to Kim's resignation. There are also speculations that the high prosecutors' offices may collectively resign after the meeting. Kim, who submitted his resignation to the Ministry of Justice the day before, decided not to attend the scheduled afternoon session of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee regarding current issues. It is known that Kim turned off his mobile phone and went to a provincial area.
The prosecution's resistance to the Geomsu Wanbak bill is expected to intensify after losing its leader. Ordinary prosecutors plan to hold a 'Nationwide Ordinary Prosecutors' Meeting' at 7 p.m. on the 19th in the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office conference room to discuss response measures.
This nationwide ordinary prosecutors' meeting, attended simultaneously by prosecutors from 18 district prosecutors' offices and 42 branch offices nationwide, totaling 60 prosecution offices, is the first in 19 years. Originally, the meeting was scheduled to be held in the morning, but due to the high number of prosecutors wishing to attend, it was agreed to hold the meeting after working hours. At Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, the largest prosecution office nationwide, 10 prosecutors are expected to attend; 4 to 5 at each district office level; and 1 to 3 at each branch office, with an estimated total attendance of about 150 to 200 ordinary prosecutors.
A post titled "Request to draft an appeal letter to the President and the Speaker of the National Assembly" was also posted on the prosecution's internal network. Kwon Sang-dae, Director of Policy Planning at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office (Chief Prosecutor), said, "Despite the sincere appeals of prosecution members and sensible citizens, the Democratic Party seems unlikely to stop its legislative unilateralism," adding, "We plan to draft and deliver an appeal letter to the last gatekeepers, the President and the Speaker of the National Assembly."
In the appeal letter he wrote, Director Kwon stated, "I wonder why the prosecutorial system established by the Constitution is being destroyed and the rights of victims are being rolled back, and what urgent reasons justify this. No one except the President and the Speaker of the National Assembly can stop the legislative unilateralism of the overwhelming majority of 172 lawmakers. It is a very heavy burden, but I earnestly plead that you do not forget the heart you had on the first day you started politics with great aspirations and prevent the passage of a bill that only increases public inconvenience."
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