Justice Minister Jung Sung-ho said that he urged the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office to make a careful judgment before deciding whether to appeal a high-profile corruption ruling involving the Daejang-dong development project.

The minister told reporters on his way to work on Monday that he saw no problem with not appealing the ruling.

Jung said that he considered the investigation and trial successful, noting that the sentence handed down by the court was heavier than the prosecution’s original request and exceeded the threshold that would typically trigger an appeal.

He said that the ministry had not issued any formal instructions or directives to the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office.

The minister stressed that he had only conveyed his opinion that prosecutors should make a reasonable judgment considering various circumstances.