Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl’s lawyers have denied allegations that their client has been resisting President Moon Jae-in’s drive to reform the prosecution. 

The lawyers, including Lee Wan-kyu, said in a meeting with reporters on Tuesday that Yoon has neither opposed prosecution reform nor been standing up to Moon. 

They made the argument after attending a hearing at Seoul Administrative Court on an appeal against a Justice Ministry disciplinary committee’s two-month suspension of the top prosecutor. 

They said Yoon is challenging the disciplinary move to counteract the effects of illegal and unfair procedures and to undo the labeling of him as a corrupt official, but he does not intend to disregard or disparage the president’s authority to choose personnel. 

Regarding the court review, the lawyers said they argued during the session that the suspension harms the political neutrality and independence of the prosecution and infringes on the rule of law and that Yoon should be swiftly restored through an injunction. 

The court plans to resume the hearing on Thursday.