Full-scale Investigation into Allegations from the Yoon Administration Begins...
Significant Expansion of Dispatched Prosecutors
Ministry of Justice's Personnel Vetting Function Abolished...
Restored to Presidential Office and Police
National Policy Planning Committee Set to Launch as New Administration's Transition Team
On June 10, President Lee Jaemyung presided over his second Cabinet meeting since taking office, during which the so-called "three major special prosecutor bills"?the Special Act on the December 3 Martial Law, the Kim Keonhee Special Prosecutor Act, and the Chae Marine Special Prosecutor Act?were officially passed.
As a result, full-scale investigations into major allegations that arose during the presidency of former President Yoon Sukyeol are expected to begin soon. The Cabinet also approved the revised Prosecutor Disciplinary Act, which includes the Minister of Justice as a subject eligible for disciplinary action against prosecutors, as well as an amendment to abolish the Ministry of Justice's Personnel Information Management Division, which had been responsible for vetting senior public officials during the Yoon administration. In addition, a revision related to the establishment of the National Policy Planning Committee, which will serve as the transition team for the new administration, also passed the Cabinet meeting.
In his opening remarks at the Cabinet meeting, President Lee stated, "We are working in a difficult environment, and I sincerely thank everyone for their dedication," adding, "We are representatives of the people, entrusted with our duties by the public, not acting out of personal connections. Every moment is important, so do not let a single instant slip by, and please do your utmost for the lives of our 52 million citizens."
The Special Act on the December 3 Martial Law, passed at the meeting, aims to investigate allegations related to former President Yoon Sukyeol’s declaration of martial law on December 3, including charges of insurrection, foreign currency inducement, and military rebellion, covering a total of 11 categories. Notably, during the legislative process, the number of assistant special prosecutors increased from four to seven, and the number of dispatched prosecutors expanded from 40 to 60, indicating that a large-scale investigation will be conducted. This reflects President Lee’s commitment to bringing an end to insurrection.
The Kim Keonhee Special Prosecutor Act focuses on a range of cases involving Kim Keonhee, the wife of former President Yoon. The investigation will center on 16 allegations, including the Deutsche Motors stock manipulation case, the acceptance of luxury handbags, suspicions related to the so-called "Geonjin Beopsa," and allegations of illegal nomination intervention and unauthorized opinion polling involving political broker Myung Taegyun. The size of the investigative team is also expected to be significantly expanded compared to previous cases.
The Chae Marine Special Prosecutor Act centers on the death of Marine Corporal Chae in July 2023 and suspicions that senior government officials at the time interfered with the investigation. The Chae Marine case occurred during a search operation for missing persons amid heavy rains, but allegations of undue influence from the military leadership and the presidential office during the Yoon administration have persisted. The government and the ruling party plan to promptly begin the process of nominating and appointing special prosecutor candidates after the special prosecutor acts are officially promulgated. Once the three special prosecutor teams are formally launched, full-scale investigations are expected to commence.
At the meeting, the Cabinet also approved amendments to the Prosecutor Disciplinary Act and the organizational regulations to abolish the Ministry of Justice's Personnel Information Management Division. The amended Prosecutor Disciplinary Act allows the Minister of Justice to directly request disciplinary review of prosecutors. This move is seen as clarifying the Lee Jaemyung administration's stance of ensuring prosecutorial independence while strengthening democratic oversight. The abolition of the Personnel Information Management Division is also aimed at enhancing the transparency and objectivity of senior public official vetting, which had been a source of controversy during the Yoon administration. In fact, three prosecutors from the division had already returned to local prosecutors' offices in May, effectively beginning the process of abolition.
The Cabinet also passed a presidential decree concerning the operation of the National Policy Planning Committee, which will serve as the transition team for the new administration. On June 5, President Lee appointed Lee Hanju, head of the Institute for Democracy, as chairperson and tasked the committee with designing a roadmap for national policy over the next two months. The committee plans to organize the Lee Jaemyung administration's policy agenda by dividing it into sectors such as the economy and society, and to prepare a detailed roadmap for each policy task.
Meanwhile, the Cabinet meeting also focused on current issues in society and the fields of foreign affairs and security. On June 5, his second day in office, President Lee presided over his first Cabinet meeting, concentrating on questions related to the economy. At that meeting, all Cabinet members had only a single roll of gimbap for lunch, and the session lasted three hours and forty minutes.
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