[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] The first Prosecutor General chosen by a president who is a former Prosecutor General. Who will be the protagonist?
It will be revealed in five days. On the 16th, the Ministry of Justice will hold a meeting of the Prosecutor General Candidate Recommendation Committee to narrow down the pool of candidates. Based on precedent, it is likely that the candidates will be narrowed down to about three. The candidates decided at this meeting will be reported to Minister of Justice Han Dong-hoon, who will respect the committee's recommendation and propose one of them to President Yoon Seok-youl for appointment. Unless there are special disqualifications, the president will send the nomination request to the National Assembly, and after the confirmation hearing, the final appointment will be made. It will be about three months since the Prosecutor General position has been vacant. Given the long vacancy, the legal community expects the appointment process to proceed quickly within a single day on the 16th.
A Prosecutor General chosen by Yoon, a former Prosecutor General... Will he show discernment?
Interest before and after this Prosecutor General appointment is expected to focus on President Yoon. Although the procedure follows the Ministry of Justice's recommendation to select candidates, ultimately, the final choice is made by President Yoon, who is himself a former Prosecutor General. This is a time for him to prove his 'discernment' in finding the right candidate as a former Prosecutor General.
In the legal community, it is believed that President Yoon will select the new Prosecutor General based on his reflections and experiences during his tenure. When he was Prosecutor General, he boldly pursued investigations targeting personnel from the Moon Jae-in administration, leading to sharp conflicts with the political sphere. He also clashed with former Ministers of Justice Choo Mi-ae and Park Beom-gye. During Minister Choo's tenure, he even faced a two-month suspension, reaching a critical point. At that time, he was praised for demonstrating the Prosecutor General's mission to protect the organization from external pressure and interference. This contributed to his election as president.
However, the choice cannot be rushed. With approval ratings recently dropping to the 20% range and the resignation of Park Soon-ae, Deputy Prime Minister for Social Affairs and Minister of Education, public opinion is unfavorable. Controversy has not subsided over his response by phone from home during the heavy rains in the central region on the 10th. Amid this, the Prosecutor General appointment could become an unexpected variable. If the appointment does not meet public expectations, it could trigger backlash, posing a burden.
The focus is on Lee Won-seok... Yet a dilemma
About ten figures have been mentioned as potential candidates for the new Prosecutor General in the legal community. They include Yeo Hwan-seop, Director of the Judicial Research and Training Institute (54, Judicial Research and Training Institute Class 24); Kim Hu-gon, Chief Prosecutor of Seoul High Prosecutors' Office (57, Class 25); Lee Du-bong, Chief Prosecutor of Daejeon High Prosecutors' Office (58, Class 25); Noh Jeong-yeon, Chief Prosecutor of Busan High Prosecutors' Office (55, Class 25); Lee Won-seok, Acting Prosecutor General and Deputy Chief Prosecutor of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office (53, Class 27); Han Chan-sik, former Chief Prosecutor of Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors' Office (54, Class 21); Cho Sang-chul, former Chief Prosecutor of Seoul High Prosecutors' Office (53, Class 23); Koo Bon-seon, former Deputy Chief Prosecutor of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office (54, Class 23); Bae Seong-beom, former Chief Prosecutor of Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office (60, Class 23); and Cho Nam-gwan, former Director of the Judicial Research and Training Institute (57, Class 24), all mentioned at least once.
The acting Prosecutor General Lee is the biggest focus. He is a strong candidate who could become the new Prosecutor General and an important figure to consider in the appointment. The new Prosecutor General will have to work closely with Acting Prosecutor General Lee. Since the prosecution has been operating under his leadership for the three months without a Prosecutor General, how he manages could reduce the sense of disconnect the new Prosecutor General might feel upon arrival.
Acting Prosecutor General Lee Won-seok, the newly appointed Deputy Prosecutor General of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, is answering questions from the press upon arriving at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office in Seocho-gu, Seoul on the 23rd. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@
For this reason, some analyses suggest that promoting Acting Prosecutor General Lee directly to Prosecutor General to run the organization stably seems desirable. However, on the other hand, many evaluate that he is too valuable to be used immediately. His leadership and abilities are so outstanding that it feels premature to assign him as Prosecutor General and have him leave the prosecution after a two-year term.
The new Prosecutor General must not only get along well with Acting Prosecutor General Lee but also with Minister of Justice Han Dong-hoon. If conflicts arise, unnecessary disputes could occur, and the burden would fall directly on President Yoon.
Mixed reactions among candidates... Some 'decline', others 'welcome'
The government is reported to have already inquired with several candidates about their willingness to assume the Prosecutor General position. The responses are said to be greatly divided. About four candidates declined, while one or two showed interest.
Concerns about a 'figurehead Prosecutor General' remain regarding this new appointment. The new Prosecutor General is likely to begin their term around the 10th of next month, when the 'Complete Removal of Prosecutorial Investigation Rights' (Geomsu Wanbak) law takes effect. They will have to lead a prosecution organization unprecedentedly stripped of investigative authority. They bear the heavy responsibility of calming internal turmoil and leading the organization stably. Amid this, they must also pay attention to the handling of various important cases and prosecution maintenance. The prosecution is currently swiftly investigating cases such as the 'Daejang-dong urban development preferential treatment and lobbying' and 'lawyer fee payment suspicions' involving Lee Jae-myung, a member of the Democratic Party who has become a political issue, as well as cases related to the 'blacklist' suspected to have been unjustly conducted during the Moon Jae-in administration. Despite the variables from Geomsu Wanbak, the new Prosecutor General can take necessary measures until court rulings on these cases are made.
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