Sim Jae-cheol, Chief Prosecutor of Seoul Southern District, Steps Down... "Requesting Fair and Lenient Justice"

Shim Jae-cheol, Director of the Prosecutor's Office at the Ministry of Justice, attended the comprehensive audit of the Ministry of Justice, Supreme Court, Board of Audit and Inspection, etc., held at the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee on the 26th, responding to questions from lawmakers. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo Byung-don] Shim Jae-cheol, Chief Prosecutor of the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors' Office, said in his farewell address, "Excessive justice is not true justice," and asked for "the 'fair' justice and 'lenient' justice that I usually emphasize."

Chief Prosecutor Shim made these remarks at the farewell ceremony held at the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors' Office building at 3 p.m. on the 20th.

He said, "If the public loses trust in political neutrality, the very existence of the prosecution becomes precarious," adding, "Many people seem to worry whether political neutrality of the prosecution is possible, wondering if power and the prosecution have become one."

He continued, "Now, more than ever, the individual efforts of each member of our prosecution family for political neutrality are important," and added, "I hope everyone does their best so that the public can see that we are sincerely striving to maintain political neutrality."

Also, Chief Prosecutor Shim said, "There is a saying that justice, when excessive, becomes cruel," and urged, "As our senior prosecutors have emphasized, I hope you conduct restrained investigations that save people and businesses."

Finally, he requested, "The prosecutor system is a product of the modern civic revolution. Please carry out your duties as prosecutors and the role of the prosecution with pride."

Meanwhile, Chief Prosecutor Shim was appointed as a research fellow at the Judicial Research and Training Institute in the prosecution personnel reshuffle on the 18th.