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Changsoo Lee, Chief Prosecutor of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, and Sangwon Cho, Deputy Chief Prosecutor of the 4th Division of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, both submitted their resignations on the 20th.
Changsoo Lee, Chief Prosecutor of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, and Sangwon Cho, Deputy Chief Prosecutor of the 4th Division of the Central District Prosecutors' Office, are attending the first impeachment trial hearing held at the Constitutional Court in Jongno-gu, Seoul on the 17th. 2025.02.17 Photo by Dongjoo Yoon
It has been reported that Chief Prosecutor Lee decided to resign due to health reasons. The official resignation date for both is set for the 2nd of next month. It is highly unusual for the top leadership of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office to announce their intention to step down simultaneously.
Previously, Chief Prosecutor Lee and Deputy Chief Prosecutor Cho led an investigation into allegations that Kim Keonhee, wife of former President Yoon Sukyeol, was involved in the Deutsche Motors stock manipulation case, ultimately concluding with a decision of non-prosecution.
Subsequently, in December of last year, the Democratic Party of Korea led the passage of an impeachment motion in the National Assembly against the two prosecutors, as well as Jaehoon Choi, Chief of the 2nd Anti-Corruption Investigation Division. However, in March of this year, the Constitutional Court unanimously dismissed the impeachment, stating there had been no abuse of discretion during the investigation process.
Initially, Chief Prosecutor Lee was reportedly considering resignation immediately after the impeachment was dismissed. However, he postponed his resignation in light of ongoing major investigations, including the case involving political broker Taegyun Myung, in which former President Yoon and his wife were implicated. It is believed that, having determined that these key investigations have now reached a certain level of resolution, he officially announced his resignation on this day.
Recently, the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office has intensified investigations into alleged violations of the Political Funds Act and the Public Official Election Act, including summoning Mrs. Kim as a suspect for questioning. Some analysts suggest that the resignations of Chief Prosecutor Lee and Deputy Chief Prosecutor Cho are intended to preempt potential political controversy in the course of future investigations following the presidential election.
Under the Prosecutors' Disciplinary Act, the Supreme Prosecutors' Office will review whether there are any grounds for disciplinary action against the prosecutors who have expressed their intention to resign.
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