The prosecution is in disarray as key members of its leadership embroiled in political controversy drop one after another, leaving it struggling to regain credibility in a number of politically-sensitive or high-profile investigations.
Following the resignation of former Prosecutor General Chae Dong-wook over rumors of an extramarital affair in September, which the opposition called the result of government pressure, Cho Young-kon, chief of Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office, offered to quit Monday. His decision came hours after an inspection team recommended the punishment of two of his subordinate including Yoon Seok-youl, who had headed the probe into the National Intelligence Service’s alleged electioneering and claimed that his superiors hampered his progress.
The inspection committee at the Supreme Public Prosecutors’ Office had asked the Ministry of Justice on Monday to suspend Yoon, and to cut the salary of Yoon’s deputy Park Hyung-cheol.
The committee’s decision, however, stoked debate over its fairness, as it failed to reach a conclusion regarding Yoon’s claim that there was pressure from higher up on the NIS probe. The team said they found it difficult to conclude that Cho had exercised any undue pressure.
The prosecutors have indicted former NIS chief Won Sei-hoon and former Seoul metropolitan police chief Kim Yong-pan for violating the Election Law earlier this year. Yoon’s special investigation team had also sought to press additional charges in the case and detain some intelligence service agents suspected of involvement. Yoon was alleged to have failed to report to his seniors, leading to his dismissal from the team last month.
Sources from the prosecution expressed regret over the on-going debacle, saying that the controversy widely described as an “internal dispute within the prosecution” was, in fact, the side effects of heavy political wrangling.
“It is incredibly unfortunate that one of us had to be reprimanded and another offered to resign to take responsibility for it,” a senior-level prosecutor in Seoul said on condition of anonymity. “It is worrisome that this would become a precedent for the future.”
Another prosecutor said on condition of anonymity, “In the end, both (Cho and Yoon) have fallen victim to the current situation of the time.”
Meanwhile, the Justice Ministry was expected to speed up the process to fill the vacant chief post of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office.
Traditionally, the chief of the Seoul prosecution is considered one of the big four figures in the prosecution, who also include the heads of the central investigation and public security of the SPO and head of the criminal affairs bureau at the Justice Ministry.
The Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office is moving fast to quell the controversy as it is involved in other high-profile investigations including the probe into Tongyang Group’s alleged fraudulent sales of corporate bonds and bills, and Hyosung Group’s alleged tax evasion.
The office is also in charge of other politically sensitive cases, such as the investigation into the leak and misplacement of the 2007 inter-Korean summit transcript from the National Archives.
Sources said the Justice Ministry may opt to appoint the new chief for the Seoul branch as soon as Cho’s resignation is signed off on, to be followed by a high-level reshuffle to rejuvenate the mood and discipline.
As for the prosecutor general, Kim Ji-tae, former deputy prosecutor general, has been nominated and he is set to face a tough parliamentary hearing on Wednesday.
By Lee Joo-hee ()
koreaherald@heraldcorp.com
