Do Je-hae edits news stories as part of the AI team.
Time for President to determine fates of Choo, Yoon
President Moon Jae-in adjusts his glasses during an event at Cheong Wa Dae, Wednesday. Yonhap
By Do Je-hae
By Do Je-hae
The escalating conflict between Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae and the nation's top prosecutor Yoon Seok-youl has reached a new chapter after the Seoul Administrative Court issued an injunction Tuesday to temporarily lift Yoon's suspension from duty that was ordered by Choo last week.
The court determined that the justice minister's order suspending the prosecutor general lacked the proper grounds and procedural legitimacy. This allowed Yoon to immediately return to work later in the day. The ruling comes a week after Choo banned him from duty following an internal inspection by the Ministry of Justice into his alleged wrongdoings and interference in sensitive cases, and launched disciplinary proceedings against him.
The court decision has dealt a blow to Choo who has been pushing President Moon Jae-in's prosecutorial reform despite a strong backlash from prosecutors. At the same time, it increases the political burden on the President.
Now all eyes are now on what Moon will do to settle the conflict between the chief prosecutor, whom Moon appointed in July 2019, and Choo, who has been at odds with Yoon over her prosecutorial reform drive.
A meeting of the ministry's disciplinary committee is slated for Friday. Former Vice Justice Minister Koh Ki-young, who was supposed to lead the committee, resigned Tuesday as he opposed punishing Yoon. Moon immediately named Lee Yong-gu, a former justice at the Gwangju District Court, just the next day, in order for the ministry to carry on with its disciplinary action.
Cheong Wa Dae is keeping silent on the Choo-Yoon conflict, saying that the President will comment only after the disciplinary committee meeting is held and determines the level of action against the top prosecutor for the alleged “grave charges.”
Yoon's immediate return to work is seen to show that he is determined not to bow to pressure from Choo and the ruling camp to step down. Choo has also shown that she has no intention of accepting the rising calls from the public and the opposition to resign and take responsibility for the sharpening division over her unilateral push for prosecutorial reform.
There has been speculation that President Moon and Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun discussed the simultaneous resignation of both Yoon and Choo during a regular meeting at Cheong Wa Dae, Monday. But that scenario no longer seems viable as they are both intent on carrying on in their posts.
Even within the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, there are growing calls for the President to let Choo go. “She has done her part. The next phase of the prosecutorial reform can be led by someone else,” DPK Rep. Hong Young-pyo said in an interview, Wednesday.
But there are also growing calls for the President to get rid of both of them to put the conflict behind him and give new momentum for his drive for reform.
“It is Moon who appointed both Yoon and Choo. The President must resolve this conflict once and for all,” Yoo Seong-min, a former presidential candidate from the now-defunct Bareun Party, said.