192 Prosecutors Reshuffled Three Days Before Launch of Public Prosecution Office... Park Cheolwoo Retained as Seoul Central District Chief

Personnel Appointments Announced for 192 Prosecutors at the Public Prosecution Office
Park Jinsung Named Head of Serious Crimes Department, Choi Jiseok Appointed Chief of Public Safety
Joo Mincheol to Lead Daegu Metropolitan Office, Seo Jeongmin Takes Charge in Seoul Eastern District
Ministry of Justice: "Organizational Stability Prioritized During Initial Launch Phase"

On September 29, three days before the launch of the Public Prosecution Office on October 2, new appointments for prosecutors, including key executives, were carried out.

On the 29th, three days before the launch of the Public Prosecution Service, the prosecution flag at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office in Seocho-gu, Seoul fluttered in the wind. 2026.9.29 Photo by Hyunmin Kim

The Ministry of Justice announced on September 29 that it would implement the personnel appointments for 192 prosecutors as of October 2, including reassigning Park Cheolwoo, current Chief Prosecutor of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office, as the Chief Prosecutor of the Seoul Central District Public Prosecution Office. The reshuffle involves the new appointment of two Public Prosecution Office-level prosecutors, the transfer of 27 Public Prosecution Office-level prosecutors, 152 Metropolitan Public Prosecution Office-level prosecutors, and 11 general prosecutors.

At the main Public Prosecution Office, Park Jinsung, currently Director of Planning at the Legal Training and Research Institute, has been appointed head of the Serious Crimes Department. Choi Jiseok, current Chief of the Public Investigation Department at the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office, will serve as head of the Department of Public Safety. Lee Eungcheol, currently Director General of the Prosecutors’ Office at the Ministry of Justice, will transfer to become Director General of the Criminal Justice Policy Bureau.

At the Metropolitan Public Prosecution Offices, Joo Mincheol, current head of the Anti-Corruption Department at the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office, will move to become Chief of the Daegu Metropolitan Public Prosecution Office. Lee Jonghyeok, currently head of the Busan High Prosecutors’ Office, will serve as Chief of the Busan Metropolitan Public Prosecution Office, and Hong Wanhee, current head of the Narcotics and Organized Crime Department at the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office, will become Deputy Chief Prosecutor of the Busan Metropolitan Public Prosecution Office. Jang Hyeyoung, currently head of the Forensic Science Department at the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office, has been appointed Deputy Chief Prosecutor of the Suwon Metropolitan Public Prosecution Office.

At the District Public Prosecution Offices, Seo Jeongmin, currently Director General for Legal Affairs at the Ministry of Justice, will take on the role of Chief of the Seoul Eastern District Public Prosecution Office, replacing Im Eunjeong, who is transferring to the Serious Crimes Investigation Office (SCIO). Im Eunjeong is included among those scheduled for special appointment to the SCIO.

Park Cheolwoo, Chief Prosecutor of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office, along with Seong Sangheon of the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors’ Office, Cha Soongil of the Seoul Northern District Prosecutors’ Office, and Kim Hyangyeon of the Seoul Western District Prosecutors’ Office, will each continue in their roles as respective District Public Prosecution Office chiefs.

Two individuals have been newly appointed as Public Prosecution Office-level prosecutors. Kim Namhun, current head of the Criminal Affairs Department at the Seoul High Prosecutors’ Office, will become Director General for Legal Affairs at the Ministry of Justice, while Koo Taeyeon, currently a prosecutor at the Seoul High Prosecutors’ Office, will move to head the Planning Department at the Legal Training and Research Institute.

For the newly established Indictment Review Division, division chiefs with experience in investigations and case management will be assigned. Lee Sijeon, head of the Human Rights Protection Department at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office, will head the Indictment Review Division 1 at the Seoul Central District Public Prosecution Office, while Kim Jeongok, head of the Public Investigation Division 3 at the same office, will head the Indictment Review Division 2.

This personnel reshuffle reflects the organizational reform following the launch of the Public Prosecution Office and vacancies resulting from transfers to the Serious Crimes Investigation Office. According to the supplementary provisions of the Public Prosecution Office Act, existing prosecutors from the Prosecutors’ Office are deemed to be public prosecutors, so no separate personnel orders were issued in cases where only the institution name changed with no organizational change. However, separate appointments were made where the job title changed or new departments/sections were established or reorganized.

The Ministry of Justice stated, "We conducted the personnel changes taking into account organizational reform and transfers to the Serious Crimes Investigation Office, but minimized the scale of the appointments in order to ensure seamless work and organizational stability during the initial phase of the Public Prosecution Office's launch."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.