ⓒYONHAP News

President Moon Jae-in has apologized for causing "inconvenience and confusion" over the top prosecutor's suspension and subsequent reinstatement by a Seoul court.

According to presidential spokesperson Kang Min-seok, the president said he "respects" the court's decision made on Thursday to return Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl to his post.

Yoon returned to work on Friday and issued guidelines to prosecutors' offices nationwide to better respond to the spread of COVID-19.

The Supreme Prosecutors' Office said that Yoon gave new directives in addition to existing COVID-19 response measures that he earlier ordered such as refraining from summoning small business owners for questioning.

The three new measures include prioritizing investigations related to urgent serious crimes, actively using mobile phones and email to question people, and reducing the number of physical summons to reduce contact amid the rapid spread of COVID-19.