Justice Minister 정성호 announced his resignation on July 10 [1].
The departure comes as the government pushes to fully abolish the prosecutor's supplementary investigation authority, a move that has sparked a fierce political battle over the balance of power within the legal system [1], [2].
Opposition party 국민의힘 characterized the resignation as a calculated move to avoid accountability. Park Sung-hoon, a senior spokesperson for 국민의힘, said the situation felt like watching a political play [1]. The opposition argues that the timing is intended to shield the administration from criticism regarding the policy change [1], [2].
Lawmaker Na Kyung-won of the 국민의힘 party questioned why 정성호 would expect the opposition to raise the issues regarding the abolition of the supplementary investigation authority, suggesting instead that he should resign [2].
The ruling 더불어민주당 party denied any link between the minister's exit and the ongoing policy shift. A representative for 더불어민주당 said the resignation was unrelated to the abolition of the supplementary investigation authority and cautioned against overinterpreting the timing [1].
The government continues to move forward with the plan to strip prosecutors of their ability to conduct supplementary investigations, a central point of contention between the ruling and opposition parties [1], [3].
“한 편의 정치 연극을 보는 듯하다”
The resignation of Justice Minister 정성호 occurs at a critical juncture in South Korea's efforts to restructure prosecutorial power. By removing the supplementary investigation authority, the government aims to further separate investigation and indictment functions. However, the opposition's framing of the resignation as a 'show' suggests that the political cost of this transition remains high, potentially leading to further legislative deadlock or public disputes over the independence of the judiciary.
