Justice minister hints at resignation, citing poor health and completed reform agenda

Justice Minister Jeong Seong-ho hinted Monday at stepping down, saying "on a personal note, my health is in very poor shape — I have been suffering from quite severe sleep disorders for several months." He added, "New wine should be put into new wineskins."

Jeong made the remarks at the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee plenary session Monday, responding to a question from Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker Park Ji-won, who asked whether he planned to submit his resignation directly to President Lee Jae-myung upon the president's return to the country. Jeong said the matter was too personal to discuss openly, but added that he had been consulting with people close to the president with that consideration in mind. The remarks were widely interpreted as a veiled expression of intent to resign.

Jeong said he believed that once the Public Prosecution Service and the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency launch on Oct. 2, "95 percent of prosecutorial reform will have been achieved." He said he had been thinking about the need for new leadership — encapsulated in the "new wine, new wineskins" phrase — even before the announcement abolishing supplementary investigative powers, given that the broad framework of prosecutorial reform was largely complete.

Park urged Jeong to stay on until all the reform institutions were up and running. "Those close to the president need the attitude of dying for his success," Park said. "Please see everything through before you go."

Jeong said he had walked alongside President Lee politically for more than 39 years since their youth and had shared the same convictions throughout. "I think the big picture has been settled and what remains are technical matters," he said. "In that sense, I believe a fresh perspective may also be needed."

He went on to say that he was confident the remaining work would be completed properly, noting that the National Assembly had been paying close attention to victim protection and thoroughly discussing areas that still needed improvement.