TOP PROSECUTOR STEPS DOWN FROM POST

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Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl, who had fiercely protested the ruling party’s attempt to found a major crimes investigation agency, finally stepped down from his post. Before leaving office, he said he could no longer stand by and watch the Prosecutors’ Office and anti-corruption system fall apart.

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Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl came in to work at the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office building Thursday afternoon. He announced that he would resign from his post, claiming that the spirit of the Constitution and the system of rule of law that have supported this nation are being destroyed.

[Soundbite] Yoon Seok-youl(Prosecutor General) : "I’m offering to resign from the prosecutor general position."

The reasons for his departure were posted on the prosecution’s online bulletin board.
He said that several bills had been tabled that aim to completely wrest away prosecutors’ investigative authority and dismantle the prosecution. Yoon made it clear that he is resigning because of the ruling party’s push to establish a major crimes investigation agency. He argued that just like in judicially advanced countries, perpetrators of major crimes can be punished only when the prosecutor who investigated the case also handles indictment and court trials. According to the top prosecutor, the establishment of a major crimes investigation agency could lead to the collapse of the anti-corruption system. He also said that the prosecution’s capacity built through investigation and trials is of the people's interest and a valuable asset... Yoon stressed that he is not leaving because he wanted to protect the prosecution’s authority.

[Soundbite] Yoon Seok-youl(Prosecutor General) : "I can no longer stand by and watch our society’s long-standing common sense and justice collapse."

Close associates of the prosecutor general said that he has long thought about his position and that he decided to resign after determining that the ultimate goal of the major crimes investigation agency was to oust him rather than reform the prosecution. He didn’t say whether he would enter politics in the future, but he didn’t rule it out completely either.

[Soundbite] Yoon Seok-youl(Prosecutor General) : "My role in the prosecution ends here. But as I have done so far, I will do my best to safeguard free democracy and protect the people regardless of my position in the future."

Prosecutor General Yoon, noted for the famous quote that he is not loyal to any single individual, was appointed to head the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office for his impartial investigation of the former president’s bribery scandal. For the first time in history, he was appointed straight to the position of Prosecutor General in 2019 without occupying the top post of the High Prosecutors’ Office. But he has been in conflict with the ruling Democratic Party over the prosecution’s probes into former Justice Minister Cho Kuk and the collusion between the prosecution and the media. His very public conflict with former Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae had resulted in a two-month suspension for him. He was reinstated when a court granted injunction but he ended up resigning with only four months left in his term. The Supreme Prosecutors’ Office will be headed by acting Prosecutor General Cho Nam-kwan.