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| South Korean President Moon Jae-in, left, and Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl. Korea Times file |
President Moon Jae-in apologized to the nation Friday for causing "inconvenience and confusion" over the top prosecutor's suspension and subsequent reinstatement by a court.
Moon said he "respects" the court's decision Thursday to return Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl to his post, presidential spokesman Kang Min-seok said in a statement.
"Ultimately, as the person with authority over personnel affairs, I offer an apology for causing inconvenience and confusion to the people," the president was quoted as saying.
Yoon won an injunction against the justice ministry's decision to suspend him for two months over four counts of alleged misconduct, including the surveillance of judges hearing cases involving former Justice Minister Cho Kuk and some presidential officials. Moon immediately endorsed that decision last week.
"I hope this will be an opportunity for the prosecution to reflect on the fair and restrained exercise of prosecutorial powers, with the court's judgment in mind," he said, according to Kang.
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| Presidential spokesman Kang Min-seok on Friday bows before announcing a statement from President Moon at Cheong Wa Dae regarding the recent suspension and subsequent reinstatement of Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol. Yonhap |
"The justice ministry and the prosecution must take the next steps in prosecution reform, without a hitch, through a stable cooperative relationship," he added.
Thursday's decision by the Seoul Administrative Court amounted to a setback for Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae, who has been at odds with Yoon for months over prosecution reforms and politically sensitive probes.
The court deliberated on whether the suspension caused "irreparable damage," how it affected public interest and whether there were procedural flaws in the process leading up to the disciplinary action.
The same court granted a preliminary injunction on Dec. 1 to halt his temporary removal by Choo, but the ministry proceeded to convene a disciplinary panel and eventually decided on his two-month suspension.
Yoon reported to work at the Supreme Prosecutors Office in southern Seoul earlier Friday despite it being the Christmas holiday.
His two-year term is scheduled to end in July next year. (Yonhap)
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