Acting Prosecutor General: "Daejang-dong Appeal Withdrawal Was My Carefully Considered Decision"

Regarding the 'Daejang-dong appeal withdrawal' incident, on November 9, Norman Seok, Acting Prosecutor General, stated, "This was a decision made after careful consideration and consultation with the head of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, under my responsibility as Acting Prosecutor General."

In a statement released that day, Acting Prosecutor General Seok said, "As with other major cases, the Daejang-dong case was reported by the local office, and we also referred to the opinions of the Ministry of Justice." He added, "After comprehensively considering the intent and content of the ruling, the criteria for appeal, and the progress of the case, we determined that it was appropriate not to file an appeal."

Norman Seok, Acting Prosecutor General, officials from the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, and general witnesses are taking the oath as witnesses at the 2025 National Assembly Inspection held on the 27th at the Legislation and Judiciary Committee in Yeouido, Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

He continued, "I am well aware of the various opinions and concerns, but I hope that all members of the organization will understand these circumstances." He added, "I would like to thank the front-line prosecutors who have been working on maintaining the prosecution for a long period, and I express my apologies and gratitude to Jung Jinwoo, head of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, who shared these difficult deliberations with me until late at night."

On November 7, the prosecution decided to withdraw its appeal against five defendants, including private developer Kim Manbae, who had been sentenced to prison for corruption related to the Daejang-dong development project. The following day, Jung Jinwoo, head of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, tendered his resignation. In response to growing criticism both inside and outside the prosecution, Acting Prosecutor General Seok issued this unusual statement to explain the situation.