Resigned Justice Minister Takes Sick Leave

Justice Minister Jeong Sung-ho, who recently submitted his resignation to the presidential office, did not report to work on August 21, utilizing sick leave. Sources within the Ministry of Justice indicate that Jeong's absence is due to health issues, specifically sleep disorders.

Jeong was scheduled to attend a plenary session of the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee on this day. However, due to his sick leave, the first vice minister, Lee Jin-soo, attended the session in his stead.

If Jeong's leave of absence continues, Vice Minister Lee is anticipated to serve as the acting Justice Minister until a successor is appointed. The ministry and observers suggest that Jeong's decision to take sick leave after publicly announcing his intention to resign is a move to minimize his external activities while still holding the ministerial post. He had previously stated that his role would be limited following the restructuring of prosecution offices, implying that his continued presence could create instability within the organization.

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The prosecution office is different from the agency for serious crimes, so the prosecution organization only needs to change its nameplate and adjust its work, so there is not much role for me to play. If the minister expresses his intention to resign and continues to stay in office, the organization will become unstable.