Minister of Justice Jung Sung-ho: "Considering Disciplinary Action Against Chief Prosecutors Involved in 'Prosecutors' Revolt'"

[Financial News] Minister of Justice Jung Sung-ho announced that disciplinary action would be taken against 18 Chief Prosecutors who opposed the decision not to appeal the Daejang-dong development scandal. Within the ruling bloc, there are calls to reassign these Chief Prosecutors to junior prosecutor positions.
Speaking to reporters on the morning of the 17th as he arrived at the government complex in Gwacheon, Minister Jung stated, "We are considering what the best course of action is."
When asked by reporters whether reassigning Chief Prosecutors to junior prosecutor positions would effectively be a demotion and might provoke internal backlash, Minister Jung responded, "As far as I know, there is no particular movement in that regard."
Minister Jung also commented, "The President of South Korea is preparing for an overseas trip, and the results of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, as well as the South Korea–United States Tariff Negotiations, have concluded successfully." He added, "The most important thing is to restore economic vitality. We share the same position."
The Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) is strongly demanding the reassignment of the 18 Chief Prosecutors who collectively opposed the decision not to appeal the Daejang-dong development scandal. On the 12th, DPK leader Chung Cheong-rae stated at a Supreme Council meeting, "There is a retroactive clause in the presidential decree that makes it difficult to reassign Chief Prosecutors to junior prosecutor positions, which is why personnel changes cannot be made. I hope the repeal of this presidential decree will be considered and recommended."
The Prosecutors' Office Act distinguishes only two ranks: Prosecutor General and prosecutor. Thus, reassignment to a junior prosecutor position is not considered a legal disadvantage. However, in practice, stripping Chief Prosecutors of their authority as heads of local prosecutors’ offices is widely viewed in legal circles as a de facto demotion.
Additionally, the government is reportedly considering investigating or auditing these individuals based on the State Public Officials Act.
Kang Yu-jeong, spokesperson for the Office of the President of South Korea, stated during a briefing on the 16th, "The prosecution is an organization under the Ministry of Justice (MOJ), and personnel authority also rests with the MOJ. Therefore, this is a matter that should be referred to the MOJ for a decision."
kyu0705@fnnews.com Kim Dong-gyu Reporter