Acting Prosecutor General Norman Seok addressed allegations regarding potential directives from the Ministry of Justice concerning the forfeiture of an appeal in the Daejang-dong development corruption case. During an appearance at the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office in Seocho, Seoul, on the morning of the 10th, he responded to questions about whether he received instructions from the Minister or Vice Minister of Justice to drop the appeal by stating, “I will speak about that later.” He did not provide further clarification when asked if his previous assertion about making an independent judgment still stands.
On the 8th, the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office failed to file an appeal against the ruling in the Daejang-dong case by the midnight deadline. Initially, the investigative team at the Central District Prosecutors’ Office, along with the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office, communicated their intention to appeal to the Ministry of Justice. However, it has been reported that both Minister Jeong Seong-ho and Vice Minister Lee Jin-soo expressed negative views on the necessity of filing an appeal, despite some internal consensus within the ministry regarding its importance.
This situation highlights the ongoing tensions and complexities within the South Korean legal and political landscape, especially regarding high-profile corruption cases. As the investigation continues, there is hope that clearer communication and transparency will emerge to uphold the integrity of the judicial process.