This Week's Prosecutor General and Chief Prosecutor Personnel Outlook
5 Prosecutor General Seats and 7 Chief Prosecutor Seats Vacant
Seoul Central District Prosecutor and 4th Deputy Chief Likely to Retain Positions
From this week through next month, legal circles are focusing on whether the leadership line of the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors' Office will change in the upcoming personnel reshuffle of prosecution executives. This is because the resumption of the investigation into the recent 'Lime Incident' could significantly impact the investigation depending on changes in the leadership.
Yang Seok-jo, Chief Prosecutor of Seoul Southern District Prosecutors' Office. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@
On the 29th, it was reported that many are closely watching the personnel movements of Yang Seok-jo, Chief Prosecutor of the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors' Office (50, Judicial Research and Training Institute Class 29), and Dan Seong-han, Chief Prosecutor of the Joint Financial and Securities Crime Investigation Division (49, Class 32). Initially, many expected Chief Prosecutor Yang to be transferred and Chief Prosecutor Dan to be promoted to Deputy Chief Prosecutor, but recently, as the Southern District Prosecutors' Office has intensified its reinvestigation of the 'Lime Incident,' there is a cautious atmosphere suggesting they might remain in their current positions. The Joint Financial and Securities Crime Investigation Division of the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors' Office began a full-scale reinvestigation on the 24th by raiding the Financial Supervisory Service and securing inspection records related to the redemption of Lime Asset Management's funds.
Chief Prosecutor Yang and Chief Prosecutor Dan are leading this investigation. Initially, there was speculation that Yang would swap positions with Shin Bong-soo, Head of the Anti-Corruption and Strong Crime Division at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office (53, Class 29, Prosecutor General), but with the addition of the reinvestigation of the Lime Incident to the major cases already handled by the Southern District Prosecutors' Office, there is a possibility that Yang may remain in his post. Recently, it was reported that Prosecutor Shin conveyed to Prosecutor General Lee Won-seok (54, Class 27) his willingness to stay at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office if necessary. Chief Prosecutor Dan, who leads the Joint Financial and Securities Crime Investigation Division officially established in May, is widely expected to be promoted to Deputy Chief Prosecutor and transferred.
The Ministry of Justice is reportedly aiming to carry out this personnel reshuffle at a level that only includes necessary promotions and transfers to minimize the impact on ongoing major investigations at frontline prosecutors' offices. However, as Prosecutor General Lee's senior colleagues from Class 26 have recently submitted their resignations ahead of the reshuffle, the scope of this personnel change is inevitably expanding beyond initial expectations.
According to legal circles, Moon Hong-seong, Chief Prosecutor of Jeonju District Prosecutors' Office (55, Class 26), Lee Soo-kwon, Chief Prosecutor of Gwangju District Prosecutors' Office (54, Class 26), and Noh Jeong-hwan, Chief Prosecutor of Ulsan District Prosecutors' Office (56, Class 26) have tendered their resignations. As a result, the number of vacant Chief Prosecutor positions has increased to seven (Jeonju, Gwangju, Ulsan, Changwon, Jeju District Prosecutors' Offices, Deputy Director of the Judicial Research and Training Institute, and Planning Director of the Legal Training Institute). There are also five vacant Senior Prosecutor positions (Deputy Chief Prosecutor of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, Chief Prosecutor of Seoul High Prosecutors' Office, Chief Prosecutor of Daejeon High Prosecutors' Office, Chief Prosecutor of Gwangju High Prosecutors' Office, and Director of the Legal Training Institute).
Accordingly, the scale of promotions to the prestigious Chief Prosecutor rank is also expected to increase. In this reshuffle, Judicial Research and Training Institute Classes 29 and 30 are eligible for promotion to Chief Prosecutor. From Class 29, Park Se-hyun, Head of the Criminal Division at Seoul High Prosecutors' Office, and Son Jun-sung, Head of the Litigation Division at Seoul High Prosecutors' Office, are considered likely candidates. From Class 30, Gu Sang-yeop, First Deputy Chief Prosecutor of Seoul Southern District Prosecutors' Office; Lee Chang-su, Chief Prosecutor of Seongnam Branch; Park Ki-dong, Third Deputy Chief Prosecutor of Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office; and Seong Sang-heon, First Deputy Chief Prosecutor of the Central District Prosecutors' Office are also expected to be promoted.
Regarding the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, which is handling major cases with significant political repercussions, the prevailing analysis is that Song Kyung-ho, Chief Prosecutor of Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office (53, Class 29), and Ko Hyung-gon, Fourth Deputy Chief Prosecutor (53, Class 31), will remain in their positions.
The Ministry of Justice plans to convene the Prosecution Personnel Committee this week to carry out appointments for Senior Prosecutor and Chief Prosecutor ranks, followed by sequential personnel changes for Deputy Chief Prosecutors and Chief Prosecutors next month.
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