The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
  • Login
  • Register
  • Login
  • Register
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
  • 1

    Song Joong-ki marries British woman, expects baby

  • 3

    Suicidal pedestrian saved over Han River bridge

  • 5

    US four-star general warns of war with China in 2025

  • 7

    Korean Lunar New Year vs. Chinese Lunar New Year

  • 9

    Over 76% of South Koreans support development of nuclear weapons

  • 11

    INTERVIEWBusan has potential to be world-class city, says mayor

  • 13

    Koreans reluctant to unmask on first day of eased indoor mask rule

  • 15

    Samsung to introduce low-carbon diet for employees to help tackle climate change

  • 17

    Base taxi fare to rise by 1,000 won to 4,800 won next month

  • 19

    Stock-leveraged investments rise again amid bullish KOSPI

  • 2

    Japanese teen romance film attracts 1 mil. Korean viewers for 1st time in 21 yrs

  • 4

    Korea to lift indoor mask mandate Monday

  • 6

    Kim Jung-hyun returns to small screen with 'Kokdu: Season of Deity'

  • 8

    K-pop releases for February

  • 10

    Youth, foreign drug offenders increase threefold in 5 years

  • 12

    'Someday or One Day' cast says film spin-off has new plot

  • 14

    NK rejects alleged arms trading with Russia, warns of 'undesirable result'

  • 16

    Seoul International School celebrates 50th anniversary

  • 18

    Plum trees, pheasants and promises of old Korea

  • 20

    Main opposition leader faces pressure to resign in case of indictment

Close scrollclosebutton

Close for 24 hours

Open
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
Tue, January 31, 2023 | 22:39
Law & Crime
Rift between Justice Minister, chief prosecutor deepens
Posted : 2020-06-30 17:32
Updated : 2020-07-01 15:02
Kim Se-jeong
Print PreviewPrint Preview
Font Size UpFont Size Up
Font Size DownFont Size Down
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • kakaolink
  • whatsapp
  • reddit
  • mailto
  • link
Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae speaks during a meeting with lawmakers at the National Assembly, Monday. Yonhap
Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae speaks during a meeting with lawmakers at the National Assembly, Monday. Yonhap

By Kim Se-jeong

Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae and Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl were never on good terms, but the tension between the two has never been as deep as it is now, according to legal pundits, Tuesday.

Choo lashed out at Yoon, Monday, for refusing to follow her recommendation regarding an investigation into the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, a Christian sect, in Daegu amid the COVID-19 outbreak in February.

"If the prosecution had conducted a search of the church, it could have obtained CCTV data which could have helped in getting a list of members visiting the church. Yet, the authorities missed a golden opportunity to obtain critical information and it slowed down their response to the outbreak," Choo said during a meeting with a group of new lawmakers at the National Assembly.

Earlier that day, Choo also wrote on Facebook: "When power is unchecked, it is like a runaway engine. And always, the result is damage to citizens. That's why this administration is stressing prosecutorial reform."

Choo was apparently referring to Yoon for failing to comply with her orders on an old bribery case involving former Prime Minister Han Myeong-sook, and another linked to his subordinate, Han Dong-hoon, who is alleged to have conspired with a broadcast journalist to blackmail a businessman to get information about one of President Moon Jae-in's close allies.

Yoon has been quiet about Choo's open criticism, but he has supports in resisting her meddling into the prosecution's activities. Under the law, the chief prosecutor has the right to refuse any minister's recommendation.

Prosecutor general ranks 3rd as potential presidential candidate
Prosecutor general ranks 3rd as potential presidential candidate
2020-06-30 14:18  |  Politics

Prof. Lee Chang-hyun, who teaches law at Hankook University of Foreign Studies, said "The prosecutors' office has to have independence. But, the minister is trying to interfere excessively."

This makes Yoon a hero among anti-Moon supporters. According to a Realmeter poll Tuesday, people chose Yoon as the third potential presidential candidate representing the opposition party.

At the center of the tension lies the alleged "excessive power" of the prosecution and Moon's determination to reduce this.

For a long time in Korea, prosecutors were privileged and blamed for corruption.

Prosecutorial reform and diluting its power through sharing it with other agencies were Moon's top priorities when he was sworn in as president.

Moon appointed Yoon as chief prosecutor in July last year in accordance with the reform agenda, but Yoon quickly became a headache for the president, as he also investigated corruption in Moon's own close circle.

The prosecutor general ordered an investigation into Cho Kuk, the former Justice Minister and Moon's close aide who spearheaded the prosecutorial reform, over corruption allegations involving his family members ― Cho resigned from the post late last year and his wife and him are currently on trial.

Yoon also ordered an investigation into the 2017 Ulsan mayoral election over Cheong Wa Dae's meddling to save another Moon's close ally.

In response, Moon openly told Yoon to stop being excessively harsh with cases involving his aides, while asking him to look into corruption cases involving officials from those opposed to him.

Replacing Cho in January, new Minister Choo pressed Yoon harder. The minister, against Yoon's wishes, restructured the prosecutor's office and reassigned people ― putting prosecutors who supported her in higher positions.



Emailskim@koreatimes.co.kr Article ListMore articles by this reporter
 
Top 10 Stories
1Korean Lunar New Year vs. Chinese Lunar New Year Korean Lunar New Year vs. Chinese Lunar New Year
2Over 76% of South Koreans support development of nuclear weapons Over 76% of South Koreans support development of nuclear weapons
3Koreans reluctant to unmask on first day of eased indoor mask rule Koreans reluctant to unmask on first day of eased indoor mask rule
4Stock-leveraged investments rise again amid bullish KOSPI Stock-leveraged investments rise again amid bullish KOSPI
5[ANALYSIS] Pandemic awakens demand for data-driven automation ANALYSISPandemic awakens demand for data-driven automation
6SPC opens 120th Paris Baguette store in US SPC opens 120th Paris Baguette store in US
7Busan seeks to take lead in expo race after BIE's April visit Busan seeks to take lead in expo race after BIE's April visit
8Retailers seek to bolster beauty product sales as lifting of mask mandate approaches Retailers seek to bolster beauty product sales as lifting of mask mandate approaches
9Biohealth geared for growth Biohealth geared for growth
10NK slams NATO chief's Seoul visit as 'prelude to war' NK slams NATO chief's Seoul visit as 'prelude to war'
Top 5 Entertainment News
1Song Joong-ki marries British woman, expects baby Song Joong-ki marries British woman, expects baby
2Kim Jung-hyun returns to small screen with 'Kokdu: Season of Deity' Kim Jung-hyun returns to small screen with 'Kokdu: Season of Deity'
3K-pop releases for February K-pop releases for February
4'Someday or One Day' cast says film spin-off has new plot 'Someday or One Day' cast says film spin-off has new plot
5Itaewon music fest brings love to the healing process Itaewon music fest brings love to the healing process
DARKROOM
  • Nepal plane crash

    Nepal plane crash

  • Brazil capital uprising

    Brazil capital uprising

  • Happy New Year 2023

    Happy New Year 2023

  • World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

    World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

  • World Cup 2022 France vs Morocco

    World Cup 2022 France vs Morocco

CEO & Publisher : Oh Young-jin
Digital News Email : webmaster@koreatimes.co.kr
Tel : 02-724-2114
Online newspaper registration No : 서울,아52844
Date of registration : 2020.02.05
Masthead : The Korea Times
Copyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
  • About Us
  • Introduction
  • History
  • Contact Us
  • Products & Services
  • Subscribe
  • E-paper
  • RSS Service
  • Content Sales
  • Site Map
  • Policy
  • Code of Ethics
  • Ombudsman
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Copyright Policy
  • Family Site
  • Hankook Ilbo
  • Dongwha Group