Kim Seung-won says he will respect prosecutors’ authority in Lee Jae Myung cases amid opposition concerns over possible withdrawal of charges
Justice Minister nominee Kim Seung-won said Thursday he had no intention of directing prosecutors to withdraw the indictments against President Lee Jae Myung, responding to opposition concerns over his previous support for dropping the cases.
“The justice minister does not have direct authority over the matter, and I have no intention of issuing directions through the prosecutor general,” Kim told reporters as he arrived at a temporary office set up to prepare for his confirmation hearing.
The main opposition People Power Party has questioned whether Kim would seek to have the cases dropped if confirmed, citing his previous role as co-chair of a group of lawmakers that advocated withdrawing the indictments against Lee.
Lee was standing trial in several criminal cases before taking office, including cases involving alleged breach of trust, bribery, violations of election and political funding laws and an unauthorized remittance to North Korea. The proceedings were suspended after his inauguration.
Kim said his earlier position as a lawmaker reflected his belief that the state should correct indictments stemming from unlawful investigations.
“The authority to decide whether to maintain the prosecution of an individual case rests with the prosecutor handling the trial, and I will respect that authority,” he said.
Kim, a two-term lawmaker of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea who has served as the party’s secretary on the National Assembly’s Legislation and Judiciary Committee, has been a leading advocate of the party’s prosecution reform agenda.
He also pledged to oversee the smooth rollout of what he described as the country’s biggest criminal justice overhaul in roughly 70 years and to address delays in case processing.
“I feel a strong sense of responsibility to ensure that the new criminal justice system takes root without causing inconvenience to the public,” Kim said.
The overhaul, scheduled to take effect Oct. 2, will abolish the existing Prosecutors’ Office and divide its functions between a new Public Prosecution Office under the Justice Ministry and a Serious Crimes Investigation Agency under the Interior Ministry.
Kim said his top priority would be minimizing disruption to the public. He also pledged to make the justice system more accessible and fair, expand AI-based legal assistance and pursue revisions to the Commercial Act, Civil Act and Family Litigation Act.
He said he hoped to raise Korea’s standing as what he called a “K-human rights nation,” where universal rights are protected and socially vulnerable people can pursue their rights and well-being without discrimination or prejudice.
On immigration, Kim said he would pursue policies based on “inclusion and integration” if confirmed.
seungku99@heraldcorp.com
