By Ryu Jin
Staff Reporter


President Roh Moo-hyun Monday nominated Deputy Prosecutor General Choung Sang-myoung as a candidate for the top post of the public prosecution, left vacant after former prosecutor general Kim Jong-bin resigned about a week ago, the presidential office said.

``Choung, who served as vice justice minister under the administration’s first years, has been evaluated as a competent candidate with a great deal of experience in planning and investigating parts of the prosecution,’’ Chong Wa Dae spokesman Kim Man-soo said in a press briefing.

``Trusted far and wide from inside and outside the prosecution, he is expected to fulfill such pending tasks as the reform of the prosecution in harmony with the Justice Ministry,’’ he added.

Kim tendered his resignation on Oct. 14 as he was instructed by Justice Minister Chun Jung-bae to investigate a scholar, whose pro-North Korea advocacy stirred ideological controversy here, without physical detention.

He argued the minister’s order hurt the public prosecution’s political independence as the main opposition Grand National Party (GNP) attacked the Roh administration and the ruling Uri Party with a similar logic.

Choung, 55, was born in Uisong, North Kyongsang Province, and graduated from Kyongbuk High School in 1967 and Seoul National University in 1972. He has held various posts at the prosecution and the Justice Ministry since passing the state judicial examination in 1975.

He served as vice justice minister as Kang Kum-sil was appointed by Roh as the nation’s first-ever female justice minister. The nominee is considered close to Roh, who passed the state bar exam in the same year. Roh had worked as a lawyer before entering politics.

Choung should go through a hearing at the National Assembly, though it does not require a floor vote to decide whether to confirm or boycott the presidential nomination. He is likely to be inaugurated as the new top prosecutor unless unanticipated variables break out.

His nomination, in the meantime, will likely bring about a sweeping personnel reshuffle in the prosecution as his six contemporary and two senior officials are expected to retire from their posts in accordance with its traditional seniority system.

jinryu@koreatimes.co.kr