Prosecutors from the Moon Administration Gathered at the Judicial Research and Training Institute... Merit-Based Personnel Evaluation

Large Number of Mid-Level Officers Recognized for Skills Promoted to Chief Prosecutor... Balanced Allocation in 'Special, Public Security, Planning, and Prosecution' Departments

[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Kyung-jun] The first regular personnel reshuffle of the prosecution under the Yoon Suk-yeol administration is widely regarded as being carried out according to the principle of ‘reward and punishment based on merit.’ Personnel with a pro-Moon Jae-in government inclination were thoroughly demoted, while those who had been repeatedly demoted under the previous administration were spectacularly reinstated.

On the 22nd, the Ministry of Justice carried out promotions and transfers for 33 prosecutors at the level of senior prosecutors (high prosecutors and chief prosecutors). Those promoted and transferred on this day will assume their posts on the 27th.

First, through an organizational reform, the Ministry of Justice increased the number of prosecutors who can be appointed as research fellows at the Judicial Research and Training Institute and transferred all so-called ‘pro-Moon prosecutors’ to research fellows at the institute. In this personnel reshuffle, Shin Seong-sik, Deputy Chief Prosecutor of Gwangju High Prosecutors’ Office (27th Judicial Research and Training Institute class), Ko Kyung-soon, Chief Prosecutor of Chuncheon District Prosecutors’ Office (28th class), Lee Jong-geun, Deputy Chief Prosecutor of Daegu High Prosecutors’ Office (28th class), Choi Seong-pil, Head of the Scientific Investigation Department at the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office (28th class), and Kim Yang-su, Deputy Chief Prosecutor of Busan High Prosecutors’ Office (29th class) were appointed as research fellows at the Jincheon main branch of the Judicial Research and Training Institute. Previously, in last month’s personnel reshuffle, Lee Seong-yoon, High Prosecutor (23rd class), Shim Jae-cheol, Chief Prosecutor (27th class), and Lee Jeong-hyun, Chief Prosecutor (27th class) were transferred to research fellows at the Judicial Research and Training Institute.

Chief Prosecutor Shin participated as a disciplinary committee member when disciplining President Yoon Suk-yeol, who was then the Prosecutor General, and Chief Prosecutor Ko, who was then the head of the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office’s Trial and Litigation Department and an aide to President Yoon, supported the disciplinary action. High Prosecutor Kim, Chief Prosecutor Shim, and Chief Prosecutors Lee Jong-geun and Lee Jeong-hyun were the main figures leading the disciplinary measures.

Additionally, although President Yoon did not take the lead during the disciplinary phase when he was Prosecutor General, Moon Seong-in, former Chief Prosecutor of Jeonju District Prosecutors’ Office (28th class), classified as a previous administration figure, and Hong Jong-hee, Deputy Chief Prosecutor of Seoul High Prosecutors’ Office (29th class), wife of lawyer Lee Myung-shin who served as Anti-Corruption Secretary at the Blue House under the Moon Jae-in government, were demoted to Deputy Chief Prosecutor of Suwon High Prosecutors’ Office and Deputy Chief Prosecutor of Daegu High Prosecutors’ Office, respectively. Lee Cheol-hee, Chief Prosecutor of Cheongju District Prosecutors’ Office (27th class), who maintained neutrality during the disciplinary phase, was also demoted to Deputy Chief Prosecutor of Busan High Prosecutors’ Office. It is unusual for a chief prosecutor of a district prosecutor’s office to be transferred to deputy chief prosecutor of a high prosecutor’s office.

On the other hand, Lee Jin-dong, Head of the Inspection Department at Seoul High Prosecutors’ Office (28th class), whose abilities were recognized by President Yoon during his tenure as Chief Prosecutor of Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office, and Im Gwan-hyeok, a special prosecutor at Gwangju High Prosecutors’ Office (26th class), Shin Eung-seok, prosecutor at Seoul High Prosecutors’ Office (28th class), and Shin Bong-su, prosecutor at Seoul High Prosecutors’ Office (29th class), were promoted to Chief Prosecutor of Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors’ Office, Chief Prosecutor of Uijeongbu District Prosecutors’ Office, and Head of the Anti-Corruption and Violent Crimes Department at the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office, respectively.

Also, Jung Jin-woo, First Deputy Chief Prosecutor of Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office (29th class), who is well-versed in public security and planning, having served as Deputy Chief Prosecutor of the Public Security Division 1 at Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office, was appointed Head of the Scientific Investigation Department at the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office, and Song Kang, Deputy Chief Prosecutor of Cheongju District Prosecutors’ Office (29th class), a leading figure in public security within the prosecution, was promoted to Head of the Planning and Coordination Department at the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office.

Kim Seon-hwa, Deputy Chief Prosecutor of Jeju District Prosecutors’ Office (30th class), who served as Chief of the Trial Department at Daegu District Prosecutors’ Office and Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office, was promoted to Head of the Trial and Litigation Department at the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office, becoming the first prosecutor from the 30th class of the Judicial Research and Training Institute and the sixth female chief prosecutor in history.