Chief prosecutors nationwide have demanded a detailed explanation from Acting Prosecutor General Noh Man-seok regarding the circumstances and legal basis behind his decision not to appeal a high-profile corruption ruling involving the Daejang-dong development project.

A total of 18 chief prosecutors made the demand on Monday in a statement posted to an internal prosecution bulletin board.

Claiming that the decision not to appeal the ruling had sparked widespread controversy, both within the prosecution and across the country, the prosecutors asked for clarification on the apparent disagreement between the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office and the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office during the decision-making process.

The chief prosecutors said Noh claimed to have decided not to appeal after considering the justice ministry’s opinion and consulting the head of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office.

The prosecutors, however, said this explanation was vague about the legal basis behind his decision and reiterated their demand for a detailed account of the process.