Daejang-dong Appeal Withdrawal Fallout Widens... Ruling Party Pushes for Parliamentary Probe and Prosecutor Dismissal Law vs Opposition Seeks Ban on Indictment Withdrawal

Kim Byunggi: "Pushing for Law to Dismiss Defiant Prosecutors"
Jang Donghyuk: "Noh Manseok's Resignation Is Just Cutting Off the Tail"
Democratic Party: "Will Amend Law to Allow Prosecutor Dismissals"
People Power Party: "Will Abolish Indictment Withdrawal System"

As Acting Prosecutor General Noh Manseok expressed his intention to resign over the decision not to appeal the Daejang-dong trial, the Democratic Party of Korea announced plans to push for a parliamentary investigation into prosecutors opposing the decision not to appeal, and to seek amendments to relevant laws to allow for the dismissal of prosecutors who defy orders. The People Power Party, on the other hand, characterized Noh's resignation as an attempt to cut off the tail and stated that it would seek to amend the Criminal Procedure Act to prevent prosecutors from arbitrarily withdrawing indictments in cases that have already been filed.

Kim Byunggi, Floor Leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is speaking at the party strategy meeting held at the National Assembly on November 13, 2025. Photo by Kim Hyunmin

Kim Byunggi, Floor Leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, stated at the party strategy meeting held at the National Assembly on November 13, "We will no longer tolerate political prosecutors who place themselves above the law," adding, "At today's general assembly, we will consolidate the collective will of our members and submit a request for a parliamentary investigation to uncover the truth within this week."

Additionally, Floor Leader Kim said, "I will sponsor a new bill to replace the Prosecutor Disciplinary Act," and "By applying the National Public Officials Act, we will make it possible to dismiss and remove prosecutors from office, thereby restoring discipline in public service." He emphasized, "Urging political prosecutors to reflect on themselves is a waste of time," and declared, "This time, we will ensure that political prosecutors who continue to resist until the end are held accountable."

Previously, during an appearance on Kim Eo-jun's News Factory YouTube channel, he explained, "Until now, because of the Prosecutor Disciplinary Act, prosecutors could not be dismissed immediately unlike other public officials," and "If this law is abolished, we can simply specify that the general Public Officials Act will apply."

The People Power Party defined Noh's resignation as an attempt to cut off the tail. Jang Donghyuk, leader of the People Power Party, warned at the Supreme Council meeting that "Noh's resignation will not be the end of this matter," and "Such an attempt to cut off the tail will only face greater public outrage." Song Eonseok, Floor Leader of the People Power Party, argued, "The essence of this case is that the investigation team recommended an appeal to recover 780 billion won in illicit Daejang-dong funds for the national treasury, but the prosecution leadership gave up the appeal under pressure from the administration," adding, "The prosecutors' protest is a legitimate act to uphold the rule of law."

Jang Donghyuk, leader of the People Power Party, is speaking at the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on November 13, 2025. Photo by Kim Hyunmin

The People Power Party members of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee stated that they would amend the Criminal Procedure Act to prevent the withdrawal of indictments. They explained, "The current 'indictment withdrawal system' is a safeguard designed to be used only in extremely exceptional cases, such as when clear evidentiary errors or serious procedural flaws are confirmed. However, in reality, there is a high risk of arbitrary and discretionary use due to non-legal reasons such as the interests of those in power or political considerations, which is why calls for its abolition have been ongoing." They further stated, "By deleting the provision for indictment withdrawal, we aim to systemically block the prosecution from canceling indictments at the direction of the Ministry of Justice or the Office of the President."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.