SEOUL, Oct. 14 (Xinhua) -- South Korean Justice Minister Cho Kuk unexpectedly announced his resignation over a corruption scandal involving his family on Monday, after "kindling" the reform of the prosecution office that has been viewed as an agency of excessive power.
"I was a mere 'wood to kindle a fire' for the prosecution reform. My role as the kindle wood came to an end here," Cho said in a statement.
Cho said the successful completion of the prosecution reform was to be made possible only after his resignation, asking people to join forces for President Moon Jae-in.
Moon designated Cho as the justice minister on Aug. 9, tasking him with the prosecution reform, one of Moon's major campaign pledges.
Before the ministership, Cho, a former reform-minded law professor, served as the first senior presidential secretary for civil affairs, including prosecutorial affairs, under the Moon government.
Since he took office, Cho released a comprehensive set of measures to reform the prosecution office that has long been seen as holding an excessive authority, including an exclusive authority to indict or seek warrants for criminal suspects, and control or launch police investigations.
Currently, the ball moved onto the court of the parliament as the prosecution reform bill can be put to the vote at the National Assembly as early as late this month.
Under the reform bill, the Moon government pushed to divide the exclusive authority of the prosecution office into two, or an authority to indict given to prosecutors and an authority to investigate given to the police.
The government also sought to set up an independent investigative body that probes the corruption of prosecutors as well as judges and high-level police officers, instead of being investigated and indicted by fellow prosecutors.
Moon told a meeting of senior presidential aides that Cho's adamant will for the prosecution reform and his attitude to endure all difficulties have become a big driving force and encouraged people to share a devout hope for the reform.
The president said that if the reform bill is passed through the parliament, it would build up the foundation for the prosecution reform in addition to the reform regulations that Cho had announced as the justice minister.
Moon offered his apology to the public over the social conflict that came after the appointment of Cho as justice minister.
Massive pro-government rallies had been held every Saturday for the past few weeks, demanding the prosecution reform and criticizing the excessive investigation by prosecutors into Cho's family.
Hundreds of thousands of people packed the main boulevards in southern Seoul around the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office building, chanting slogans and holding signs in hands that read "(We) love Moon Jae-in," "Protect Cho Kuk," and "Reform the prosecution office".
Cho Kuk, the name of the justice minister, happens to be the Korean word for homeland. Among the demonstrators were people from towns and cities across the country, including Daegu and Busan cities viewed as a political home turf for the conservative parties.
The rallies in support of Cho were caused by prosecutors' investigation into the wrongdoing allegations of Cho and his family, including the manipulation of an award issued to Cho's daughter by a university where Cho's wife works as a professor and the involvement of Cho's wife in the illegal management of a private-equity fund.
It mobilized tens of special prosecutors specializing in the power-related corruptions, raiding over 70 locations that included Cho's house. While the probe was underway, hundreds of thousands of unconfirmed media reports poured out based on unidentified sources from the prosecution office.
Moon supporters regarded the expanded investigations into Cho's wife, daughter and son as a protest against Moon's push for the prosecution reform and his appointment of the reform-minded justice minister.
It was rare here to see a great number of people voluntarily take to the streets for the pro-government rally, where people chanted slogans for protecting the sitting president and the justice minister against prosecutors.
Meanwhile, a great number of conservative voters, opposition lawmakers and even Christians gathered around the Gwanghwamun Square for the past weeks to demand Cho's resignation.
According to local media reports, an unspecified part of the conservative demonstrators was brought to the rallies with pay by the main opposition Liberty Korea Party. Tens of people were arrested for violence against police officers.
