The government is reportedly reviewing a plan to transfer the chief prosecutors who collectively protested the decision to drop the appeal in the Daejang-dong development scandal to posts as line prosecutors.
Presidential Office Spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said at the Yongsan Presidential Office on the afternoon of the 16th, in response to a question about the position, "The prosecution is under the Ministry of Justice. Since the authority over personnel lies with the Ministry of Justice, it seems you should ask them."
Earlier, regarding the controversy over the prosecution's decision to drop the appeal in the Daejang-dong development corruption allegations, 18 chief prosecutors from district prosecutors' offices nationwide issued a statement on the 10th on the prosecution's internal network (E-pros) requesting additional explanation.
They wrote, "The position announced by the acting prosecutor general does not include any specific circumstances or legal reasons for dropping the appeal, which is not convincing," and "Chief prosecutors, who are responsible for maintaining prosecutions at front-line prosecutors' offices, once again request a detailed explanation from the acting prosecutor general on the circumstances that led to the instruction to drop the appeal and its legal grounds."
The government is said to be seriously considering transferring the chief prosecutors who engaged in collective action to line prosecutor posts. Legally, prosecutors have only two ranks—the prosecutor general and line prosecutor—so it is hard to view this as a punitive personnel measure, but transferring a chief prosecutor who had led a front-line office to a line prosecutor post is effectively a demotion.
Demotion to line prosecutor has been publicly demanded within the ruling bloc. Democratic Party of Korea leader Jung Chung-rae said at a Supreme Council meeting on the 12th, "I ask Minister Jung Sung-ho of the Ministry of Justice to make a firm decision to cut off the behavior of political prosecutors," adding, "They say there is a 'regressive clause' in the presidential decree that makes it difficult to appoint a chief prosecutor as a line prosecutor, making personnel moves impossible; I hope you will review and recommend abolishing such a presidential decree."
Democratic Party floor spokesperson Kim Hyun-jung also said at a briefing on the 14th, "The Minister of Justice should immediately begin an inspection of the 16 chief prosecutors who disobeyed orders and carry out removal from posts and transfer measures."
The government is also reportedly discussing measures beyond personnel transfers, including investigations into violations of the State Public Officials Act, as well as job inspections and disciplinary action.