From the left, Lee Won-seok, Deputy Prosecutor General of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office and considered the first candidate for Prosecutor General under the Yoon Seok-yeol administration; Kim Hu-gon, Chief Prosecutor of the Seoul High Prosecutors' Office; Yeo Hwan-seop, Director of the Legal Research and Training Institute; and Koo Bon-seon, former Chief Prosecutor of the Gwangju High Prosecutors' Office. Photo by Legal News.
[Asia Economy Choi Seok-jin, Legal Affairs Specialist Reporter] The first pool of candidates for Prosecutor General under the Yoon Seok-yeol administration will be selected on the 16th.
It has been 102 days since former Prosecutor General Kim Oh-soo stepped down in May, leaving the position vacant.
The Prosecutor General Candidate Recommendation Committee (Recommendation Committee) will hold a meeting from 2 p.m. at the Ministry of Justice's small conference room on the 7th floor of Building 1, Government Complex Gwacheon, to review the candidates and then recommend 3 to 4 final candidates to Minister of Justice Han Dong-hoon.
According to the legal community, among current prosecutors, seven prosecutors at the high prosecutor level are under review: Yeo Hwan-seop, Director of the Judicial Research and Training Institute, class of 24; Kim Hu-gon, Seoul High Prosecutors' Office Chief Prosecutor, class of 25; Noh Jeong-yeon, Busan High Prosecutors' Office Chief Prosecutor, class of 25; Lee Doo-bong, Daejeon High Prosecutors' Office Chief Prosecutor, class of 25; Lee Ju-hyung, Suwon High Prosecutors' Office Chief Prosecutor, class of 25; Jo Jong-tae, Gwangju High Prosecutors' Office Chief Prosecutor, class of 25; and Lee Won-seok, Deputy Prosecutor General at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, class of 27.
Among former prosecutors, two names have been listed: Gu Bon-seon, former Gwangju High Prosecutors' Office Chief Prosecutor (class of 23), and Cha Maeng-gi, former Chief of the Goyang Branch of Uijeongbu District Prosecutors' Office (class of 24).
The Ministry of Justice received nominations for the Prosecutor General candidates through a public call from the people between the 12th and 19th of last month, and after obtaining consent and conducting verification, Minister Han shortlisted these nine candidates.
Once the Recommendation Committee recommends 3 to 4 candidates to Minister Han, he will propose one final candidate to President Yoon Seok-yeol for appointment.
The list of candidates recommended by the Recommendation Committee is expected to be disclosed immediately after the meeting, and the appointment proposal for the final candidate is anticipated to take place within this week.
Inside and outside the legal community, it is predicted that among current officials, Deputy Prosecutor General Lee, Prosecutor Kim, and Director Yeo, and among former officials, former Chief Prosecutor Gu will make the final candidate pool.
The most likely candidate for Prosecutor General is Deputy Prosecutor General Lee. Leading the prosecution for nearly three months during the vacancy, he quickly stabilized the organization and accelerated investigations into major cases, demonstrating his presence. His appointment could also dispel controversies over 'bypassing the Prosecutor General' regarding several personnel changes made by Minister Han after his inauguration, which increases his chances.
Being a classmate of Minister Han from the Judicial Research and Training Institute class of 27 is an advantage, as it prevents a seniority reversal between the minister and the prosecutor general. However, concerns have been raised that if some high prosecutors from classes 24 to 25 resign due to the class dropping too low after the minister and prosecutor general appointments, it could lead to an aging of the organization.
Among seniors to Minister Han, Prosecutor Kim is considered the most likely candidate. During the 'complete prosecution reform' phase under the Moon Jae-in administration, he voiced strong opinions and stood by then Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol, representing the organization's stance.
His high reputation within the prosecution and classification as non-Yoon (non-aligned with Yoon) help him avoid criticism of being a 'close aide.' However, compared to when Deputy Prosecutor General Lee becomes Prosecutor General, Minister Han's influence over the prosecution might be relatively weaker, which could be a disadvantage.
Director Yeo is a prosecutor who made a name for himself in special investigations, having consecutively served as head of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office's Special Investigation Division 2 (2011), Special Investigation Division 1 (2012), and Chief of the Special 1 Division at Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office (2013). He handled several major cases, including the Hyundai Motor Group slush fund case, prosecuting figures such as Chung Mong-koo, Honorary Chairman of Hyundai Motor Group, and the late Kim Woo-joong, former Chairman of Daewoo Group, earning the nickname 'Viper.'
Not only Director Yeo but also Deputy Prosecutor General Lee and Prosecutor Kim are all representative special investigation experts within the prosecution, having served as chiefs of the Special 1 Division at Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office.
Former Chief Prosecutor Gu is highly regarded for his proficiency in both investigation and planning, having worked in the Supreme Prosecutors' Office's Central Investigation Department and Planning and Coordination Department. He worked alongside President Yoon as a research prosecutor in the Supreme Prosecutors' Office in 2006 and served as Deputy Prosecutor General in 2020 when Yoon was Prosecutor General, assisting him closely.
The final candidate proposed by Minister Han is expected to officially assume office as Prosecutor General around mid-next month after a confirmation hearing.
Currently, the prosecution is investigating several cases involving figures from the previous administration, including cases related to Lee Jae-myung, who is likely to be elected leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, the forced repatriation of North Korean fishermen, and the shooting of public officials in the West Sea. Additionally, Minister Han recently announced a legislative notice to revise enforcement ordinances in response to the 'complete prosecution reform' law passed by the opposition party. Therefore, the Prosecutor General candidate cannot avoid fierce attacks from the opposition party.
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