Prosecutor General Kim O-su has withdrawn his resignation after meeting with President Moon Jae-in, who called on his top prosecutor to exercise leadership in times such as this.

Kim had submitted his resignation on Sunday in protest of the ruling Democratic Party's(DP) expedited legislative drive to strip the prosecution of its investigative powers prior to the expiry of Moon's term next month. 

Following the face-to-face that ran for about 70 minutes, the prosecutor general on Monday told reporters that he has decided to do his best until the end under the given situation. He said that civil servants need to respect the decisions of the person who has the power to appoint them.

Kim said that he provided full explanations about the problems of the reform bill to the president, who listened attentively, adding he also presented possible measures to secure fairness and neutrality in prosecutorial investigations.

According to a written briefing issued by presidential spokesperson Park Kyung-mee on Monday, Moon emphasized that the interests of the public, not those of the prosecution or the DP, should be at the heart of prosecutorial reform and lawmaking. 

He urged the prosecution not stop at criticizing the DP’s moves but to institute self-introspection and self-reform, underlining that it is a stark reality that the people have questioned the fairness of past investigations though the public does trust the prosecution's investigative ability.

Moon's comments that legislative efforts should also be aimed at benefiting the public is viewed as a call for the ruling party to reconsider its drive and ensure that it will not be one that is unilateral.

President Moon had turned down Kim's resignation offer on Monday, instead inviting him to meet with him at the top office later that afternoon.