Prosecutor General Song’s Rejection

The conflict between the Justice Ministry and the prosecution is growing as Prosecutor General Song Kwang-soo rejected the decision that the Justice Ministry should investigate the prosecution’s failure to report seeking arrest warrants for the organizers of the candlelight vigil to the Ministry,

“There is nothing more for the Justice Ministry to investigate because we fully explained the opinion of the prosecution,” Prosecutor General Song said to the journalist asking the opinion on the Ministry’s decision of further investigation, adding “If there is still a matter to probe, I will investigate myself.”

Song said, “Working-level staffs have no responsibility, and I take all the responsibilities regarding the prosecution.” And about the question of whether the Prosecutor General was in direct command of seeking arrest warrants, he said, “That is the matter of the inside chain of command; is it important to tell who commanded?”

The Justice Ministry reconfirmed the established opinion that it is necessary to make a full-scale investigation into the circumstances of the failure of the advance report.

“We are checking whether there are some points to be reformed in the prosecution’s reporting system,” said the Ministry official, adding, “We are also examining if this case of seeking arrest warrants applies to the cases reported in advance.”

The prosecution bureau of the Ministry reported the details of the case to minister Kang Kum-sil, and is reportedly considering whether or not to investigate additionally and take measures.

The Justice Ministry is also considering a revision of “office regulations on the prosecution’s report” which rules ambiguously for compulsory reporting duty as soon as it finishes the investigation.

Tae-Hoon Lee jefflee@donga.com