Where Did the Mid-Level Prosecutors Who Left the Prosecution Go?

Anti-Corruption and Finance/Securities Specialist Opens Solo Practice
Public Security and Planning Prosecutors Prefer Large Law Firms

Following the mid-level executive personnel reshuffle in September, there has been a continuing trend of mid-level prosecutors leaving the prosecution to open law firms, with noticeable differences in career paths depending on their specialized fields such as special investigations, planning, and public security. So-called special investigation prosecutors in anti-corruption, finance, and securities tend to choose 'solo practice' or 'small to mid-sized law firms' in Seocho-dong, while public security and planning prosecutors show a preference for 'large law firms.'

According to a comprehensive report by the Legal Times on the 7th, Kim & Chang Law Office recently recruited Seo In-seon (49, Judicial Research and Training Institute class 31), a leading public security prosecutor within the prosecution and former human rights protection officer at the Seoul Northern District Prosecutors' Office. Seo resigned following the mid-level executive personnel announcement in September. Ko Pil-hyung (49, class 31), former head of the Gimcheon branch office and classified as a planning prosecutor, also recently joined Kim & Chang. Park Ji-young (53, class 29), a planning prosecutor and former deputy chief prosecutor at the Seoul High Prosecutors' Office, chose the law firm Bae, Kim & Lee. Analysts suggest that the enactment of the Serious Accidents Punishment Act and the development of labor law have intensified competition among law firms to recruit planning and public security prosecutors.

A former deputy chief prosecutor turned lawyer explained, "Since the enforcement of the Serious Accidents Punishment Act, it has become more common for corporate heads to come under investigation. In such cases, there is a tendency to choose large law firms over individual lawyers to receive comprehensive services," adding, "This is one reason why demand for public security prosecutors at large law firms has increased."

On the other hand, special investigation prosecutors with abundant experience have opted to open practices in Seocho-dong.

Among the special investigation prosecutors based in Seocho-dong are Park Sung-hoon (51, class 31), former head of the Financial Securities Crime Investigation Cooperation Team at the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors' Office, who joined the law firm Yulwoo as a representative lawyer last year, and Park Soon-bae (49, class 33), former deputy chief prosecutor at the Gwangju District Prosecutors' Office, also at the same firm. Kim Do-gyun (50, class 29), who left the prosecution after the September reshuffle and moved to Baekhyun Law Firm in Yeoksam-dong, Seoul, is a special investigation prosecutor who served as head of the Busan District Prosecutors' Office Special Investigation Division and at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office Anti-Corruption and Violent Crime Division.

The special investigation field involves a wider variety of cases and generally commands higher fees per case compared to other specialized fields. For this reason, special investigation prosecutors have traditionally preferred to open practices in Seocho-dong. Recently, the increase in prosecution investigations targeting corporations has also been cited as an advantage of opening a practice in Seocho-dong, as it provides more opportunities for special investigation prosecutors.

Meanwhile, there is also a growing trend of former prosecutors entering the corporate sector. Typically, they accumulate one to two years of experience as lawyers at large law firms before moving to corporations. For example, among three deputy chief prosecutor-level lawyers who joined Kim & Chang last year, two recently transitioned to corporate roles. Kwon Sang-dae (47, class 32), former head of the Policy Planning Division at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, became an executive in the legal team at Samsung SDS, and Lee Hye-eun (48, class 33), former spokesperson at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, joined the executive team at Coupang. Min Byung-kwon (47, class 34), former deputy chief prosecutor at the Wonju branch office who joined Kim & Chang the same year, leveraged his special investigation experience to become the representative lawyer at Inwol Law Firm in Seocho-dong.

Additionally, Choi Cheong-ho (47, class 35), former head of the Miryang branch office, joined Kim & Chang and within five months moved to become an executive at Samsung Electronics Legal Office. Seo Dong-beom (46, class 39), former prosecutor at the Busan Eastern District Prosecutors' Office, also joined Kim & Chang and after one year moved in March this year to become head of compliance at Hanwha Solutions.

Park Seon-jeong, Legal Times Reporter

※This article is based on content supplied by Law Times.