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Will Gu Ja-hyun's resignation be accepted? Prosecution remains in acting leadership for a week
๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท South Korea /Crime & Justice

Will Gu Ja-hyun's resignation be accepted? Prosecution remains in acting leadership for a week

From Dong-A Ilbo · () Korean

Translated from Korean, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Ongoing story
  • Gu Ja-hyun, acting prosecutor general, submitted his resignation after the National Assembly passed a bill to abolish the prosecution's supplementary investigation rights.
  • His resignation has been pending for a week, leaving the prosecution leadership in an uncertain state with the planned opening of a new prosecution office in October.
  • The situation is complicated by the fact that the current acting head is the third-highest-ranking official, and a new chief prosecutor may be appointed or the acting system could continue until the new office opens.

Gu Ja-hyun, the acting prosecutor general, submitted his resignation a week ago in protest after the National Assembly passed a bill to abolish the prosecution's supplementary investigation rights. The decision has left the leadership of the prosecution in an ambiguous state, with the planned opening of a new prosecution office just two months away.

Gu, who also serves as the deputy prosecutor general, has been leading the prosecution for about eight months following the resignations of his predecessors. Since submitting his resignation and taking leave, the role of acting head has been filled by Park Gyu-hyung, the third-highest-ranking official. While Gu attended a new prosecutor's oath ceremony during his leave, Park has been handling routine duties and a briefing to the presidential office.

The prosecutor general's role is crucial for overseeing prosecution affairs and directing personnel, especially with the upcoming October 2 opening of the new prosecution office and the need to establish relationships with other investigative agencies. Some speculate that Gu's resignation may not be accepted, similar to Justice Minister Chung Sung-ho's previous resignation requests being denied. This could be an attempt to have Gu oversee the preparation of the new office as its head.

Alternatively, if Gu's resignation is accepted, a new leader will need to be appointed to fill the two-month gap before the new office opens. There is also a possibility that the current acting system could continue until the new office is established. If a new deputy prosecutor general is appointed, they might be considered for the role of chief prosecutor of the new office after its October launch. The appointment of heads for other investigative bodies, such as the National Police Agency, which has also been without a permanent chief for over 18 months, could occur simultaneously.

I also feel responsible for the prosecution law being revised in this manner.

โ€” Gu Ja-hyunStating his reason for submitting his resignation after the bill's passage.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Dong-A Ilbo in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.