2 Top Men Out; Agency's Future Up in Air

Prosecutor General Han Sang-dae resigned Friday, leaving the future of the powerful law enforcement agency up in the air.

Choi Jae-gyeong, chief of the Central Investigation Department (CID) under the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office, expressed his intention to resign after leading a rebellion against Han.

President Lee Myung-bak accepted Han’s resignation immediately.

The two were leaving but the prosecution is still struggling to cope with a sex scandal involving a young prosecutor at his office and a senior prosecutor allegedly receiving bribes from a Ponzi swindler.

The CID chief rebelled when Han ordered an open inquiry against him for allegedly coaching the prosecutor in the corruption case who was his friend by text messages.

During a press conference, he would leave all reform tasks to his successor. He cancelled his plan to present his reform agenda.

“I hereby resign from the prosecutor general post. I deeply apologize for the embarrassing bribery and sex scandals committed by incumbent prosecutors recently that have shocked the nation,” he said. He then made a bow in front of the podium.

“I now leave the prosecution. I will leave all the remaining tasks, including the reform of the prosecution, to my successor,” said Han.

After a brief one-minute speech, he immediately left the room.

Han had initially planned to announce a series of reform measures during the conference and offer a conditional resignation where he would not resign if the Cheong Wa Dae doesn’t approve.

But during his speech, he did not mention the conditional resignation and announced a complete resignation from the post. He also did not introduce measures to reform the prosecution.

Apparently prosecutors have internally discussed the matter the day before and concluded that it was not appropriate for a departing chief to introduce a set of new measures.

Han became the...