hankyoreh

Then-Vice Justice Minister Kim Oh-soo testifies before the National Assembly’s Legislation and Judiciary Committee on Nov. 19, 2019. (Kang Chang-kwang/The Hankyoreh)

South Korean President Moon Jae-in nominated 58-year-old Kim Oh-soo, former Vice Justice Minister, to lead the country’s prosecution service, the Blue House said Monday.

Moon is thought to have nominated Kim with the hope of pushing forward his administration’s agenda of prosecutorial reform.

Sixty days have passed since former prosecutor general Yoon Seok-youl stepped down on March 4, about four months before he was supposed to leave office.

“We expect that Kim will stabilize the prosecution service through effective communication while carrying out the mission of our age — reforming the prosecution service so that the prosecutors can conform to the wishes of the public,” Blue House spokesperson Park Gyeong-mi said.

Kim Oh-soo was one of several people suggested by a government committee.

Justice Minister Park Beom-kye recommended Kim Oh-soo on Monday from among several figures suggested by a government committee, and Moon accepted his recommendation. The committee’s other suggestions were Koo Bon-seon, head of the Gwangju High Prosecutors’ Office; Bae Seong-beom, head of the Institute of Justice; and Cho Nam-kwan, acting prosecutor general.

Born in Yeonggwang, South Jeolla Province, Kim graduated from the 20th class of the Judicial Research and Training Institute. He has held a number of senior roles, including head of the first special investigations division at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office, head of the criminal division at the Seoul High Prosecutors’ Office, head of the forensics division at the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office, head of the Seoul Northern District Prosecutors’ Office, and head of the Institute of Justice.

Kim became Vice Justice Minister soon after Moon took office. During his time in office, Kim worked closely with a series of justice ministers — Park Sang-ki, Cho Kuk, and Choo Mi-ae — which gave him an extensive understanding of prosecutorial reform, a signature initiative of the Moon administration.

“[Kim] served as Vice Justice Minister for 22 months and worked under three justice ministers. We see those traits as being big advantages,” a senior official at the Blue House said.

Kim had been one of the final candidates for prosecutor general in June 2019, but ultimately lost out to Yoon Seok-youl. After Kim stepped down as vice justice minister, the Blue House repeatedly nominated him to join the Board of Audit and Inspection, but Chairman Choe Jae-hyeong reportedly rejected Kim because of questions about his political neutrality.

“Kim has been mentioned as a potential nominee to head the Fair Trade Commission, the Financial Supervisory Service, and the Anti‑Corruption and Civil Rights Commission. He’s basically been recommended for all the high offices. I think that shows Kim’s wide range of talents,” a senior official at the Blue House said.

“The fact that Kim Oh-soo was discussed for every important position shows that he’s another crony that Moon Jae-in is installing in office. That underlines Moon’s determination to tame the prosecution service and bring it under his thumb,” said Bae Jun-young, spokesperson for the People Power Party, in a statement.

He also noted that Moon had “forced out former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl, who had launched investigations aimed at his administration.”

By Lee Wan, staff reporter

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