PRESIDENT MOON APPROVES SUSPENSION ON YOON

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President Moon Jae-in immediately approved the two-month suspension imposed on Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl after Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae briefed him. Yoon will be suspended from duty for two months and Choo tendered her resignation to the president.

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President Moon Jae-in approved the two-month suspension slapped on Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl. The disciplinary action goes into effect immediately following the president’s approval. Yoon will be suspended from duty for the next two months. The outcome came 22 days after the justice minister announced on November 24th her request to remove the prosecutor general from duty and take disciplinary measures against him. President Moon apologized to the public for the unprecedented punishment of a prosecutor general. Nonetheless, he added this incident would serve as the beginning of a prosecutorial reform.

[Soundbite] CHUNG MAN-HO(SENIOR PRESIDENTIAL SECRETARY FOR PUBLIC AFFAIRS) : "The president hopes this incident would serve as the start of the prosecution’s reform. He also looks forward to ending the noise surrounding the disciplinary action on the prosecutor general and wishes to see the Justice Ministry and the Prosecution make a fresh start."

Justice Minister Choo personally tendered her resignation to the president. According to a high-ranking Cheong wa Dae official, she must have concluded that she had fulfilled her duty after seeing the bills reforming powerful institutions passed in parliament. President Moon expressed his special gratitude to the justice minister.

[Soundbite] CHUNG MAN-HO(SENIOR PRESIDENTIAL SECRETARY FOR PUBLIC AFFAIRS) : "The president said that without Minister Choo’s drive and determination it would have been impossible to overhaul powerful institutions such as the agency investigating corruption involving high-ranking officials and the coordination of investigative rights between the prosecution and the police."

The South Korean leader will make the decision on Choo’s resignation after careful consideration. The nation's top office repeatedly emphasized that the president’s approval demonstrates that he accepts the disciplinary committee’s objective and independent decision. The public affairs secretary also said that it wasn’t appropriate for Cheong Wa Dae to comment on Prosecutor General Yoon’s plan to take legal actions.