Justice minister Park Sung-jae said on Thursday that he consulted with the top prosecutor regarding the recent personnel reshuffle of senior prosecutors before any actions were taken. 

The minister made the remarks to reporters when asked if the minister had consulted with Prosecutor General Lee One-seok, who had called for the ministry to postpone the reshuffle. 

In relation to the prosecutor general’s call, Park suggested that he has the right to conduct personnel appointments without accepting every request. 

The minister also rejected criticism that the personnel reshuffle was led by the presidential office, stressing that he decided there was a need for a personnel change after months of observation and deliberation. 

As for speculations that the personnel appointments were made in consideration of the prosecution’s probe into First Lady Kim Keon-hee’s acceptance of a luxury bag, the minister said that the investigation will proceed regardless of the reshuffle.