Yoon Seok-yeol's 'Disciplinary Leader' Han Dong-su, Head of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office Inspection Department, Resigns

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Handongsoo, Head of the Inspection Department, Supreme Prosecutors' Office

[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Kyung-jun] Han Dong-su, head of the Inspection Department at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office (Judicial Research and Training Institute class 24), who led the disciplinary action against President Yoon Seok-yeol when he was Prosecutor General, recently tendered his resignation.

According to the legal community on the 6th, Han recently submitted his resignation to the Ministry of Justice. Han, a former judge, was appointed head of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office Inspection Department through an external recruitment process in October 2019, shortly after the resignation of former Minister of Justice Cho Kuk.

When Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae excluded then-Prosecutor General Yoon from his duties and requested disciplinary action in November 2020, Han appeared as a witness at the disciplinary committee in December of that year and testified that President Yoon obstructed the inspection of the 'Channel A case.'

Han appeared as a witness at the confirmation hearing of Minister of Justice Han Dong-hoon held at the National Assembly last May and testified regarding the Channel A case that "the essence is not attempted coercion, but violation of the Public Official Election Act." Han also testified that when the Channel A case surfaced and he announced the start of an inspection to then-Prosecutor General Yoon, Yoon became enraged.

Han's term was extended until October next year by the Ministry of Justice's reappointment decision last year. However, after the change of administration, in the recent personnel reshuffle, Jeong Hee-do, a senior prosecutor (class 31) who openly criticized Han, was appointed head of Inspection Division 1, and Bae Moon-gi, a senior prosecutor (class 32) classified as a hardliner within the prosecution, was appointed head of Inspection Division 3, leading to speculation that Han's position has significantly diminished.