'Prosecutor's Special Activity and Security Expenses Reduced to 0'... Ministry of Justice Prosecutor Department Head Resigns in Protest of Full Cut

National Assembly Judiciary Committee Budget Subcommittee Decides on Budget Cuts

The National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee's Budget and Accounts Subcommittee decided to cut all prosecution special activity funds and specific task expenses reflected in next year's government budget proposal, prompting the Prosecutor General of the Ministry of Justice, who effectively oversees the prosecution budget, to express his intention to resign in protest.

It was confirmed on the 8th that Im Se-jin, Prosecutor General of the Ministry of Justice, submitted his resignation after the Budget Subcommittee of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee decided the full cut of 8 billion KRW in prosecution special activity funds and approximately 50.6 billion KRW in specific task expenses the day before. The Prosecutor General is a senior manager within the Prosecution Bureau, a key division in the Ministry of Justice responsible for overseeing personnel, budget, and organizational matters related to the prosecution, which is an external agency.

The Ministry of Justice maintains that both the prosecution special activity funds and specific task expenses are necessary. In particular, Prosecutor General Im reportedly strongly opposed the decision, stating that if the specific task expenses, which are investigation activity funds provided to prosecutors and investigators, are completely cut, it would inevitably cause serious disruptions to prosecution work. The Budget Subcommittee is known to have decided on the budget cuts citing insufficient submission of materials regarding the use of prosecution special activity funds in the past. At the time of the decision, members of the People Power Party reportedly boycotted the vote, claiming it was a unilateral move by the Democratic Party.

Earlier, on the 4th, during the full meeting of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, Democratic Party lawmaker Jeon Hyun-hee stated, "If the special activity funds of power institutions, presumed to have not been used for their intended purposes, cannot be properly verified, the entire budget will be cut. We will ensure that it does not get revived in the Budget and Accounts Committee." The Democratic Party had previously announced plans to cut prosecution special activity funds and others. The Ministry of Justice's 2025 budget proposal will be finalized after passing the full meeting of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, followed by comprehensive review by the Special Committee on Budget and Accounts and approval by the plenary session of the National Assembly.