South Korea's Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae apologized for Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl recently stating that he is not subordinate to the justice minister.

At a parliamentary audit on Monday, Choo said Yoon, who should be politically impartial, had crossed the line, then apologized as the one in charge of the prosecution's overall operations.

Regarding her exercise of authority to remove Yoon from the chain of command in the investigation into alleged financial fraud involving the now-defunct Lime Asset Management, Choo said the decision was necessary and urgent.

As for the alleged bribery of opposition politicians in the case, which Choo accused Yoon of overlooking, the minister said the probe should have been reported through the anti-corruption department at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office.

On the 2018 non-indictment by the Seoul Central Prosecutors’ Office under Yoon involving improprieties by the now-defunct Optimus Asset Management, Choo said she would consider an internal audit.