Court should make quick ruling on Yoon case
A disciplinary committee under the Ministry of Justice voted early Wednesday morning to suspend Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl from his duty for two months, accusing him of four counts of legal and ethical misconduct. It is unprecedented for the ministry to come up with punitive measures against the top prosecutor, whose term in office is guaranteed by law.
The suspension of the chief prosecutor from duty is the first of its kind since the 1948 founding of the Republic of Korea. It is regrettable as it undermines the rule of law. The committee should have held a fair and transparent procedure, and presented convincing evidence regarding the allegations about Yoon's misdeeds. But it failed to meet such basic requirements.
For one thing, the committee refused to accept Yoon's request to disqualify committee acting chairman Chung Han-joong for his alleged bias against him. It also rejected his demand for the panel to have its full seven members. This raised suspicions that the ministry had plotted to reach a foregone conclusion to punish Yoon even before the meeting.
For starters, critics have called into question the fairness about the formation of the four-member panel which was comprised of pro-government figures critical of Yoon's anti-corruption drive.
The committee's decision took effect in the early evening after President Moon Jae-in approved it. But Moon may face a strong backlash not only from the prosecution but also from the public for sanctioning the punitive action against Yoon. The President should pay more heed to the growing criticism of the justice ministry's reckless and irresponsible bid to get rid of Yoon, and prevent the prosecution from investigating corrupt officials and politicians of the ruling bloc.
Yoon has vowed to take legal action to nullify the decision, denying all the allegations brought against him. He said he cannot accept the decision because it was full of procedural flaws and based on groundless allegations.
We urge the court to make a ruling on the issue at the earliest date possible, to stop the government from forcing Yoon out of the prosecution.
The committee held Yoon accountable on four counts of the misdeeds, including allegations that he ordered illegal surveillance of judges and that he violated his obligation to keep political neutrality as chief prosecutor.
Yet, all the allegations against him appear to be a "bum rap." It is improper that the committee found fault with Yoon's remark that he would "find ways to serve the people after retirement." No one can read too much into what he said, in order to misinterpret it as implying that he violated political neutrality.
Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae also offered to resign, taking responsibility for her feud with Yoon. She has invited criticism for orchestrating a plot to oust the chief prosecutor in a proxy war on behalf of President Moon. She should be held responsible for undermining the independence and political neutrality of the prosecution by attacking Yoon because he was targeting core members of the political elite in corruption investigations.
Moon should also take the blame for having done nothing to defuse the conflict between Choo and Yoon. His much avowed prosecutorial reform cannot succeed if he tries to tame the law enforcement agency.
A disciplinary committee under the Ministry of Justice voted early Wednesday morning to suspend Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl from his duty for two months, accusing him of four counts of legal and ethical misconduct. It is unprecedented for the ministry to come up with punitive measures against the top prosecutor, whose term in office is guaranteed by law.
The suspension of the chief prosecutor from duty is the first of its kind since the 1948 founding of the Republic of Korea. It is regrettable as it undermines the rule of law. The committee should have held a fair and transparent procedure, and presented convincing evidence regarding the allegations about Yoon's misdeeds. But it failed to meet such basic requirements.
For one thing, the committee refused to accept Yoon's request to disqualify committee acting chairman Chung Han-joong for his alleged bias against him. It also rejected his demand for the panel to have its full seven members. This raised suspicions that the ministry had plotted to reach a foregone conclusion to punish Yoon even before the meeting.
For starters, critics have called into question the fairness about the formation of the four-member panel which was comprised of pro-government figures critical of Yoon's anti-corruption drive.
The committee's decision took effect in the early evening after President Moon Jae-in approved it. But Moon may face a strong backlash not only from the prosecution but also from the public for sanctioning the punitive action against Yoon. The President should pay more heed to the growing criticism of the justice ministry's reckless and irresponsible bid to get rid of Yoon, and prevent the prosecution from investigating corrupt officials and politicians of the ruling bloc.
Yoon has vowed to take legal action to nullify the decision, denying all the allegations brought against him. He said he cannot accept the decision because it was full of procedural flaws and based on groundless allegations.
We urge the court to make a ruling on the issue at the earliest date possible, to stop the government from forcing Yoon out of the prosecution.
The committee held Yoon accountable on four counts of the misdeeds, including allegations that he ordered illegal surveillance of judges and that he violated his obligation to keep political neutrality as chief prosecutor.
Yet, all the allegations against him appear to be a "bum rap." It is improper that the committee found fault with Yoon's remark that he would "find ways to serve the people after retirement." No one can read too much into what he said, in order to misinterpret it as implying that he violated political neutrality.
Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae also offered to resign, taking responsibility for her feud with Yoon. She has invited criticism for orchestrating a plot to oust the chief prosecutor in a proxy war on behalf of President Moon. She should be held responsible for undermining the independence and political neutrality of the prosecution by attacking Yoon because he was targeting core members of the political elite in corruption investigations.
Moon should also take the blame for having done nothing to defuse the conflict between Choo and Yoon. His much avowed prosecutorial reform cannot succeed if he tries to tame the law enforcement agency.
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