Moon dismisses top prosecutor's resignation offer

Prosecutor General Kim Oh-soo / Yonhap

President Moon Jae-in agreed to meet with Prosecutor General Kim Oh-soo on Monday after turning down the resignation offer Kim submitted in protest of the ruling Democratic Party's push to strip the prosecution of its investigative powers, an official said.

Kim tendered his resignation on Sunday in protest of the DP's push for legislation that would leave the prosecution with no authority to conduct investigations on its own, as part of efforts to reform the powerful agency that has long been accused of abusing its power for political and other purposes.

Before offering to resign, Kim had earlier requested a meeting with Moon, though no meeting took place.

On Monday, presidential spokesperson Park Kyung-mee said Moon decided to turn down Kim's resignation and instead meet with him later in the day.

A presidential official explained that Moon did not accept the resignation because the prosecutor general's term is guaranteed and because he wants to hear Kim's opinions as the head of the executive branch.

Kim, who was appointed by Moon, has more than a year left in his two-year term. His resignation offer came less than a month before Moon is set to leave office at the end of his five-year term.

Moon's decision is seen as an attempt to stop the row between the prosecution and his party from escalating.

Under his administration, the prosecution's investigations have been reduced to six categories of crimes, with the rest being assigned to the police, as critics have accused the prosecution of abusing its powers.

Kim requested a meeting with the president last week to discuss his opposition to the proposed legislation. A Cheong Wa Dae official suggested the issue should be discussed with the National Assembly, saying "now is the time for legislation." (Yonhap)