Mid-ranking prosecutors have been submitting resignations one after another ahead of the abolition of the prosecution service.
Yoon Won-gi, a prosecutor at the Suwon High Prosecutors' Office (47, 34th bar class), announced his departure Tuesday on Epros, the prosecution's internal network, saying he was "wrapping up 18 years and five months as a prosecutor" and that he felt "nothing but sorry for not being able to stay through this difficult time." He added that "the pride of serving the public and contributing to the common good will remain unchanged, whether at the prosecution, the Public Prosecution Service, or the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency," and said he would "cheer on the prosecution family who will steadfastly do their best for the people."
Yoon previously served as chief of the criminal division at the Chuncheon District Prosecutors' Office and held posts at the Ministry of Justice, including head of the criminal legislation division and head of the policy planning team. He served as chief of the Wonju branch of the Chuncheon District Prosecutors' Office in 2025 but was later demoted to his current post at the Suwon High Prosecutors' Office after signing a collective protest statement against the decision to drop the Daejang-dong appeal that year.
Noh Seon-gyun, second deputy chief prosecutor at the Daegu District Prosecutors' Office (49, 35th bar class), who also spoke out against the Daejang-dong appeal withdrawal, posted on Epros the same day. "The fact that someone as lacking as myself was able to serve as a prosecutor for 20 years was thanks to sunbae who set an example, steadfast colleagues, and passionate juniors," he wrote. "As long as the members of the prosecution stand firm like pine trees, I believe the future of the prosecution will also be bright. I will always be a strong supporter cheering you on from the outside."
So Chang-beom, chief of the violent crimes investigation division at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office (52, 36th bar class), also recently submitted his resignation to the Ministry of Justice. In a post on Epros Wednesday, So wrote that a journalist had recently asked him, "Why do you work so hard on something that isn't even your own business?" He said: "Not once have we worked for our own advancement. That is why I have such deep respect for the colleagues I have worked with."
He added that he would "always wish good health and happiness to every fellow prosecutor who will continue to fight on in a changing environment, and to those who will be starting anew somewhere else."
The prosecution service, established alongside the founding of the South Korean government in 1948, is set to be abolished Friday after 78 years.
soho0902@heraldcorp.com
