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2 senior prosecutors offer to resign over ex-first lady probe controversy

Published: 20 May. 2025, 19:34

Lee Chang-soo, chief of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office, on March 13 [YONHAP]

Two senior prosecutors who have faced criticism for allegedly mishandling a probe into former first lady Kim Keon Hee over her alleged involvement in a stock price manipulation scheme have offered to resign, judiciary sources said Tuesday.

Lee Chang-soo, chief of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, and Cho Sang-won, deputy chief prosecutor at the same office, tendered their resignations to the Ministry of Justice earlier in the day, according to the sources.

Lee is known to have cited health reasons for his resignation offer.

The senior prosecutors, alongside the chief state auditor, were impeached by the National Assembly in December following impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol's botched martial law bid on Dec. 3, 2024.

Cho Sang-won, deputy chief prosecutor at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office on Feb. 24 [JOINT PRESS CORPS

They have been accused of failing to indict the former first lady and of making false claims regarding the investigation during press briefings.

The Constitutional Court, however, rejected the impeachments in a March 13 ruling. The court said it was not an abuse of authority to question the first lady at a location outside of the prosecution's office and that no false claims were made.

Yonhap