Arrest warrant sought for ex-environment minister

By Kim Rahn

Ex-Environment Minister Kim Eun-kyung

The prosecution sought an arrest warrant for former Environment Minister Kim Eun-kyung, Friday, for her alleged complicity in the ministry's creation of a “blacklist” of people appointed by previous administrations to head its affiliated organizations that it wanted to force to resign.Kim faces charges of abuse of power.

This is the first warrant request for a figure involved in the allegations, and if it is issued, it will be the first arrest of a former minister appointed by the current Moon Jae-in administration.

It is alleged that the Kim-led ministry drew up a list of 24 senior officials at eight affiliated organizations, who were appointed by the former Park Geun-hye administration, and pressed them to step down so the posts could be filled with people close to the current government.

During earlier questioning by the prosecution in February, Kim admitted that the ministry had checked whether the officials were planning to quit or not, but claimed there was no pressure on them to resign.