The ongoing confrontation between Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae and Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl has shifted focus to a disciplinary committee's decision expected on Friday regarding Yoon's alleged misconduct.

President Moon Jae-in on Wednesday tapped a judge-turned-lawyer Lee Yong-gu as the new vice justice minister, a day after Vice Justice Minister Koh Ki-young resigned in apparent protest against Minister Choo's convening of a panel to decide on disciplinary action for the top prosecutor.

Vice justice minister Koh was supposed to preside over the committee review as ex officio, since Choo is excluded as the one who filed the request.

The human rights department at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, meanwhile, has launched an investigation into the inspection headquarters' raid regarding Yoon's alleged surveillance of court judges. The raid reportedly took place without being reported to those in command.

If the investigation finds any illegalities committed by the inspection headquarters, Yoon could get a boost in highlighting the unfairness of Choo's request for disciplinary action.