LIST OF TOP PROSECUTOR CANDIDATES

[Anchor Lead]

The justice ministry has sent a list of candidates for a new prosecutor general to a recommendation committee. Earlier, Justice Minister Park Beom-kye came under fire for disregarding the prosecution's political independence. He said the new top prosecutor should be someone who understands the president's political philosophy.

[Pkg]

As one of the criteria in selecting a new prosecutor general, Justice Minister Park Beom-kye mentioned the president's political philosophy.

[Soundbite] Park Beom-kye(Justice Minister(Apr. 23) : "It is the nomination of a person who will lead the prosecution. So it is closely　related to the president's political philosophy."

But he soon backed off in the face of criticism that his remarks could damage the prosecution's neutrality.

[Soundbite] Park Beom-kye(Justice Minister(Apr. 26) : "I will keep it in mind. Breaking away from a political prosecution is one of President Moon Jae-in's long-cherished wishes."

In appointing a new top prosecutor, eyes are on whether or not the candidate list includes Lee Sung-yoon, the head of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office. The justice minister declined to comment on the matter. He just said that an independent panel's scheduled review of prosecutors' investigation into Lee is a separate issue from the selection of the top prosecutor. Lee is currently accused of interfering in a probe into the justice ministry's alleged illegal travel ban imposed on former Vice Justice Minister Kim Hak-ui in 2019. A decision on whether or not to indict him will likely be delivered soon. A recommendation committee received a list of some ten candidates for the chief prosecutor. It seems most likely that Lee is on the list. The ministry explained that its minister did not select some of the candidates and that it sent all the candidates endorsed through public recommendation procedures. It is said the candidate list includes incumbent high-ranking prosecutors, such as Acting Prosecutor General Cho Nam-kwan and Koo Bon-sun, head of the Gwangju High Prosecutors' Office. Former Vice Justice Minister Kim Oh-soo and Yang Boo-nam, the former chief of the Busan High Prosecutors' Office, are also being cited as key candidates.