(LEAD) Moon replaces senior secretary for civil affairs: Cheong Wa Dae

All News 16:54 March 04, 2021

(ATTN: UPDATES with details from 4th para; CHANGES photo)
By Lee Chi-dong

SEOUL, March 4 (Yonhap) -- President Moon Jae-in replaced his senior secretary for civil affairs and justice Thursday, eventually accepting a resignation offer by Shin Hyun-soo, according to Cheong Wa Dae.

Kim Jin-kook, an official at the Board of Audit and Inspection (BAI), has been named to replace him, Chung Man-ho, senior secretary for public communication, said in a press statement.

Shin tendered his resignation last month in apparent protest over a recent personnel shake-up at the prosecution that was led by new Justice Minister Park Beom-kye and authorized by Moon.

Kim Jin-kook (L), tapped as President Moon Jae-in's new senior secretary for civil affairs, and his predecessor Shin Hyun-soo meet reporters at the Chunchugwan press room of Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul on March 4, 2021. (Yonhap)

Kim, a lawyer, has served as a commissioner at the BAI's audit committee, a vice ministerial position, since 2017. He worked with Moon at Cheong Wa Dae as secretary for legal affairs under the Roh Moo-hyun administration in the 2000s.

Cheong Wa Dae's announcement of his selection came shortly after it made public the president's acceptance of Prosecutor-General Yoon Seok-youl's offer to resign.

Yoon is staunchly opposing the liberal Moon administration's prosecution reform drive. Some ruling Democratic Party lawmakers are pushing for legislation on depriving the state prosecution service of its investigative powers with the establishment of a new law enforcement body to handle "serious crimes."

Shin reportedly demanded that Cheong Wa Dae and the justice ministry respect Yoon's views in connection with the latest reshuffle of ranking prosecutors. It is an open secret, however, that his call was ignored.

For instance, Lee Sung-yoon, head of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office who is regarded as supporting the government's prosecution reform campaign, has maintained his duty.

Shin told reporters that he's leaving office due to "lack of ability" in many aspects. He did not elaborate.

His successor said he feels a sense of heavy responsibility, assuming the important post at a difficult time.

lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)