Handonghun-Leewonseok, Will the 'Judicial Research and Training Institute 27th Class' Line Emerge?

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@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] Lee Won-seok, Deputy Prosecutor General of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, who has been acting as the Prosecutor General for nearly three months during the vacancy, reportedly spends most of his day on phone calls. His main contacts are chief prosecutors leading the prosecution frontlines and senior officials at the Ministry of Justice. He shares his ideas on prosecution management with them and listens to their opinions. Then, he reflects various views and puts them into action. The 'Voice Phishing Government Joint Investigation Unit,' launched in June at the Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors' Office, also went through this process. Deputy Prosecutor Lee is known as a 'special investigation expert' with a strong background in investigations, but he is also well-versed in the management and administration of the prosecution organization. Many prosecution officials refer to him as an "idea bank."

Whether Deputy Prosecutor Lee will continue to lead the prosecution will be decided today or tomorrow. On the 16th at 2 p.m., the Ministry of Justice will hold the Prosecutor General Candidate Recommendation Committee at the Gwacheon Government Complex to shortlist 3 to 4 candidates for the new Prosecutor General. Earlier, the Ministry of Justice received public applications and Minister of Justice Han Dong-hoon selected and notified the committee of 9 candidates. Deputy Prosecutor Lee was included among them.

Deputy Prosecutor Lee is from the 27th class of the Judicial Research and Training Institute and is said to be the youngest among the nine candidates. He is the only candidate from the 27th class. Although the 25th class dominates the field with more than half (5 members), Deputy Prosecutor Lee is mentioned as a strong candidate in the legal community. If he assumes the position of Prosecutor General, it would be a 'dramatic appointment' surpassing many seniors. At the same time, the leadership of the Ministry of Justice and prosecution would form the 'Han Dong-hoon?Lee Won-seok, Judicial Research and Training Institute 27th class' line.

The 27th class is known as the 'new generation' who studied during the time when PCs and printers were first introduced to the Judicial Research and Training Institute. They were more proficient in using PCs than previous classes and expressed their opinions freely in online spaces, showing distinct individuality. In January 1997, when the then New Korea Party controversially passed a labor law amendment bill by 'rushing it through' the National Assembly, 180 members of the 27th class united on the PC communication platform 'Hitel' to raise 5.4 million won in donations to the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), delivering a fresh shock to the legal community. At that time, the concept that collective action conducted online could materialize in reality was virtually nonexistent.

Minister of Justice Han Dong-hoon is announcing the recipients of the Yoon Suk-yeol administration's first special pardon, the '8.15 Liberation Day Special Pardon,' at the Government Seoul Office in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on the 12th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

As such, the exceptional 27th class stood out while investigating important cases and gained attention in 2019 by occupying all spokesperson positions at major prosecutors' offices, which are considered the voice of the prosecution. Minister Han also served as the 3rd Deputy Chief Prosecutor at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office from 2017 to 2019, becoming a communication channel. Since then, the 27th class has come to the forefront of the Ministry of Justice and prosecution in recent years. If Deputy Prosecutor Lee becomes the new Prosecutor General, it will mark the pinnacle of this trend. The Ministry of Justice and prosecution are preparing countermeasures ahead of the implementation of the 'Complete Removal of Prosecution's Investigative Authority' (Geomsu Wanbak) law next month, while also pursuing legal procedures to nullify the law. Minister Han, who holds the baton of command, bears heavy responsibility, and if Deputy Prosecutor Lee rises to Prosecutor General, he is expected to share that responsibility.