President Park Geun-hye on Sunday tapped veteran corruption fighter Kim Jin-tae to head the prosecution marred by internal feuds over a highly sensitive investigation into the alleged election meddling by the National Intelligence Service.
Cheong Wa Dae expressed hopes that Kim, a former deputy prosecutor general, would be able to stabilize the law enforcement organization and conclude a series of pending cases fairly and thoroughly.
But the main opposition party raised concerns that the nominee is a close confidant of Kim Ki-choon, presidential chief of staff, an indication of Park’s intention to tighten her control of the prosecution.
“The nominee is the right man who can carry out the job of prosecution chief (judging from) his experience of handling sensitive issues sternly based on law and principle,” Lee Jung-hyun, senior presidential public relations secretary, told reporters.
He said the president is confident that he will regain the public’s trust in the prosecution.
The 60-year-old prosecutor directly led investigations into a number of high-profile cases involving former presidents and major conglomerates. He also served in various posts in the prosecution including acting prosecutor general and head of the Seoul High Prosecutors’ Office.
“Nominated as prosecutor general candidate at a time the prosecution is in a crisis, I feel grave responsibility,” he said in a message to reporters.
The nominee is likely to undergo a parliamentary hearing on the second week of November after the ongoing National Assembly audits of the administration close.
Kim will replace former prosecutor general Chae Dong-wook who resigned last month due to allegations that he concealed an extramarital child. Chae had cried foul as the opposition accused the government of pressuring him to step down over the probe into the National Intelligence Service’s purported election interferances.
Cheong Wa Dae was widely expected to announce its nominations within the week to fill the posts left vacant after a series of resignations by minister-level officials who allegedly were at strife with the presidential office.
The president on Friday tapped judge Hwang Chan-hyun to head the Board of Audit and Inspection. The previous BAI chief stepped down in August amid allegations of pressure by the Park administration.
Korea Development Institute researcher Moon Hyung-pyo was named as new health and welfare minister on the same day to succeed former minister Chin Young who resigned citing fissures with Cheong Wa Dae over the new basic pension scheme.
The nomination came at a critical time when allegations of illegal electioneering by state agencies are boiling over into a dispute over the legitimacy of the last year’s presidential election. The NIS and the military’s Cyber Warfare Command are accused of posting negative comments in favor of then-presidential candidate Park of the ruling Saenuri Party.
By Cho Chung-un ()
koreaherald@heraldcorp.com
