Jung Min-ho has worked as a staff writer at The Korea Times since 2012, mostly covering social and political issues. He currently belongs to the Politics & City Desk where he covers topics such as health, labor and human rights. Prior to joining the team, he was responsible for covering North Korea and sports. His article about a biosecurity breach of Middle East respiratory syndrome won him an award from the Korea Science Journalists Association in 2016. He is also the co-author of the book, "Medical Pioneers of Korea" (2019). He served as the head of the international relations committee at the Journalists Association of Korea from 2021 to 2023.
Yoon under fire for too many ex-prosecutors taking key posts
President Yoon Suk-yeol speaks to reporters as he enters his office in Seoul, Wednesday. Yonhap
By Jung Min-ho
President defends appointments; critics warn of 'republic of prosecutors'
By Jung Min-ho
During the run-up to the presidential election a month ago, liberal parties warned that Yoon Suk-yeol would open an era of “the republic of prosecutors” as head of state, given his limited experience outside the prosecution.
With too many former prosecutors with personal connections to the president taking key government posts, Yoon has come under increasing criticism that the warning is becoming a reality.
So far, 14 former prosecutors have taken top-level positions at presidential secretary offices, government ministries and agencies, including the justice minister, the unification minister and the intelligence agency's executive director. Lee Bok-hyun, the new governor of the Financial Supervisory Service, is the latest addition to that list.
Speaking to reporters Wednesday, Yoon defended his appointment decisions, saying many figures with government attorney experience play important roles in various branches of government in other advanced countries such as the United States.
“In the past, (key government posts) were filled with activists from Minbyun,” Yoon said in a comment apparently aimed at the previous Moon Jae-in administration, which hired many former members of the left-leaning civic group to fill major government posts including the minister of gender equality and family.
Opposition parties have criticized the Yoon administration for “unprecedented” cronyism.
“Yoon pledged that he would select people based on merit. Where is this principle now? Do you think prosecutors are so versatile and suitable for all government organizations? … It seems that Yoon is trying to become the president for prosecutors, not for the people,” said Rep. Jo O-seop, a spokesman for the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea. “Yoon needs to convince the public why he had to fill the positions with so many former prosecutors.”
The minor opposition Justice Party echoed the criticism.
“It is difficult to tell whether the appointments were made by the president, whose job is to conduct state affairs, or by the prosecutor general,” Jang Tae-soo, a spokesman for the party, told reporters. “Yoon said in his inauguration speech that he would make a new country for the people; (I think he meant) a country for prosecutors.”
Criticism is also coming from civic groups. People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy, another influential liberal group along with Minbyun, warned that former prosecutors at too many powerful government posts could undermine checks and balances.
“Prosecutors may be useful for investigating and indicting (suspects). But it is a mistake to assume that they will be useful in all other areas of government … Given that Yoon worked at the prosecution for a long time, it was expected that he would select many of his former colleagues for key positions, but this goes beyond common sense,” the group said in a statement.
Apparently aware of the growing criticism, Kang Soo-jin, a Korea University law school professor and former prosecutor who was close to Yoon, has reportedly been excluded from consideration for the chief post at the Fair Trade Commission, the country's regulatory authority for economic competition.
Rep. Kweon Seong-dong, floor leader of the ruling People Power Party, said criticism of the Yoon administration's personnel management policy is overblown. Speaking to reporters, he said he believes that Yoon has kept his promise to select people for important government posts based on merit only and that he will continue to stick to that principle.
Prosecutors have long been vilified by liberal politicians largely because of the role they played in the corruption investigation targeting former President Roh Moo-hyun, who killed himself in 2009. Reforming the powerful institution was one of Moon's key pledges, which gave birth to the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials, also known as CIO, and laws limiting the powers of the prosecution.