Lee must put victims before partisan politics

Justice Minister Jung Sung-ho tendered his resignation on Sunday, days after the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) reaffirmed its determination to pass an amendment stripping the prosecution of its authority to oversee police investigations in criminal cases. Jung repeatedly argued that prosecutors must retain the authority to supervise police investigations, warning that removing this power would ultimately harm victims of crime. His concerns, however, were ignored.

Expressing his frustration after submitting his resignation, Jung said there was nothing more he could accomplish as justice minister. "Nor do I have any will to try something new to fix it," he said. This is not the first time Jung has expressed his desire to step down and return to the National Assembly as a lawmaker.

He said he had conveyed his intention to resign on multiple occasions to several unnamed presidential secretaries in the hope that they would persuade President Lee Jae Myung to let him leave the Cabinet. It remains uncertain whether Lee will accept the resignation. The president arrived in Brazil on Mon