The Justice Ministry on Sunday replaced four senior prosecutorial posts in its first personnel reshuffle since Park Beom-kye became the new head of the ministry.

The ministry replaced the head of the Criminal Affairs Bureau, Shim Jae-cheol, with Lee Jeong-soo, who heads the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors’ Office. Shim will be taking on Lee’s position. 

The head of the Chuncheon District Prosecutors’ Office, Cho Jong-tae, was assigned to head the office of planning and coordination at the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office which had been vacant. Deputy prosecutor general of the Seoul High Prosecutors’ Office, Kim Ji-yong, will assume Cho’s post in Chuncheon. 

The head of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office, Lee Sung-yoon, was not affected by the latest reshuffle, as well as two other members of the so-called "Big Four" senior prosecutors. 

Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl had reportedly asked Justice Minister Park to replace the four prosecutors during two rounds of bilateral meetings last week. Only Criminal Affairs Bureau chief Shim has been replaced among them. 

Some in the prosecution complained about the ministry announcing its reshuffle decision without consulting in detail with the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office. The ministry, for its part, has explained that it moved up the reshuffle for the sake of stability in the prosecution’s organization.