Norman Seok Takes Leave to Contemplate Resignation
Prosecutors Poised for Collective Revolt if He Stays
Calls Grow for Lee Jinsu and Park Cheolwoo to Step Down Together
Norman Seok, Acting Prosecutor General, is arriving at the Seoul Supreme Prosecutors' Office on the 10th. Photo by Yonhap News
Norman Seok, Acting Prosecutor General (Deputy Prosecutor General of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office), who instructed prosecutors to 'drop the appeal' in the Daejang-dong development corruption case, is reportedly considering resigning. On November 11, Seok took annual leave to contemplate his decision. With prosecutors at all levels, from junior prosecutors to chief prosecutors, demanding his resignation, it appears virtually impossible for Seok to remain in his position.
Attention is focused on Seok's decision, as it was reported that he told senior officials the previous day that he would resolve the matter within a day or two. If Seok does not announce his resignation, it is said that prosecutors are considering not only issuing a statement but also engaging in collective resistance and open defiance.
Within the prosecution, some point out that Seok's explanation to senior officials who visited him the previous day to demand his resignation-saying, "Given the difficult situation facing the prosecution and our relationship with Yongsan and the Ministry of Justice, I had to comply with the order to drop the appeal"-could itself be problematic. Since the Acting Prosecutor General made a political consideration regarding the case, significant repercussions are expected.
One chief prosecutor stated, "The strong backlash within the prosecution is because Seok has made it impossible for the prosecution to perform its core work of maintaining indictments," and added, "Seok compromised with the Ministry of Justice's instructions, but when it comes to the essential work of the prosecution, it should be done according to proper standards, not at the sole discretion of the Acting Prosecutor General."
It was also reported that during a private meeting with senior officials, Seok said, "Vice Minister of Justice Lee Jinsu conveyed concerns about the appeal and presented several options, but all of them involved dropping the appeal, so I had no other choice." This is effectively an admission that there was pressure from the Ministry of Justice to drop the appeal, which is expected to spark further controversy.
Some within the prosecution even suggest that Seok may have decided to drop the appeal in consideration of the views of the Presidential Office and the Ministry of Justice regarding the position of head of the Public Prosecution Office, which is scheduled to be launched in October next year.
Another chief prosecutor commented, "The explanation that the decision to drop the appeal was made for the sake of the prosecution does not make sense," and added, "The Acting Prosecutor General initially accepted the investigation and trial team's opinion to appeal, but then changed his decision after hearing the Vice Minister's words, which appears to be a move to protect his own position."
Although investigators within the prosecution are refraining from making official statements, there is considerable criticism of Seok. One investigator said, "The Acting Prosecutor General is supposed to be in that position to allow the prosecution to conduct investigations and trials according to its convictions. If he cannot shield us from outside interference, he should step down."
There are also calls for Vice Minister Lee, who was involved in the process of dropping the appeal, and Park Cheolwoo, Head of the Anti-Corruption Department (Chief Prosecutor) at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, to resign along with Seok. Park personally instructed the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office investigation team to review the case again just before midnight on November 8, the last day for submitting the appeal. Park is also known to have criticized the Daejang-dong investigation team and interfered with the investigation when he served as the Second Deputy Chief Prosecutor of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office in 2021.
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