Acting Prosecutor General Noh Man-seok voiced strong concerns over the Lee Jae Myung administration’s prosecution reform plans during his resignation speech Friday, warning of potential impacts on the public.
“It is frustrating to see continued focus solely on abolishing the prosecution, without adequate discussion or preparation regarding the inconvenience this could cause the public,” Noh said during a ceremony at the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office in Seoul.
Although not explicit, his comments signal opposition to the ruling Democratic Party of Korea’s prosecution reform bill, which would strip prosecutors of the right to conduct supplementary investigations and limit their role to matters solely related to indictments.
“In discussions about where the prosecution should head next, it is disheartening to see that our sincere efforts to protect the people and uphold the rule of law are not being properly recognized,” Noh said, stressing that prosecutors’ supplementary investigative authority is “not a right, but a duty.” Fully relinquishing investigative powers to the police, he argued, would hurt a key mechanism for keeping investigative bodies in check.
Noh’s resignation comes after his decision on Nov. 7 to drop an appeal in a major political corruption case surrounding a land development project in Daejang-dong in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, involving former city officials and private developers as well as President Lee Jae Myung, who previously served as the mayor of Seongnam.
The decision not to appeal drew fierce criticism and raised questions about whether outside pressure played a role, a claim the Justice Ministry has denied.
Regarding rank-and-file prosecutors’ protests over his decision, Noh described it as an “internal expression of concern about the prosecution’s functions and political neutrality,” and said it should not be seen as defiance.
“As someone representing the prosecution, I’m stepping down for the sake of its future,” he said. “I urge the government and political parties to halt discussions of disciplinary measures against prosecutors.”
In a move widely seen as targeting “defiant prosecutors,” the Democratic Party earlier in the day submitted a bill to revise the Prosecutors’ Office Act to allow prosecutors — including the prosecutor general — to be dismissed without impeachment, like ordinary civil servants.
The main opposition People Power Party, meanwhile, denounced the administration's acceptance of Noh's resignation as a "shallow attempt" to shift blame. Party leader Jang Dong-hyuk argued that political leaders, including President Lee, should instead be held responsible for the "politically motivated shutdown" of the investigation, during a press conference held in Daejang-dong that day.
Noh’s resignation comes just four months after he stepped into the role, following a sudden departure of his predecessor back in July.
“I sincerely hope that my successor will be someone with character, competence and moral authority, who can guide the organization through these turbulent times,” he said.
lee.jungjoo@heraldcorp.com
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