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| Ministry of Justice spokesman Cho Sang-chul speaks during apress briefing at the Seoul High Prosecutors' Office in southern Seoul, Friday. Cho said that the ministry launched an inspection intoProsecutor General Chae Dong-wook, which instantly prompted Chae to offer his resignation. / Yonhap |
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| Justice Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn |
The Chosun Ilbo took the initiative by reporting on Sept. 6 that the Prosecutor General Chae Dong-wook had an 11-year-old son born out of wedlock. Chae's initial response was cautious, stating that he would be "looking into the intentions and situation of the report."
The counterattack came on Monday three days after the first report. The 54-year-old prosecutor demanded the daily issue a correction over the report. He even said that he was willing to take a DNA test to prove his innocence.
The Chosun Ilbo refused to retract its story, but nevertheless, the daily did seem hesitant at Chae's strong denial and his willingness to take a paternity test.
Another blow came on Wednesday when the Chosun Ilbo received a letter sent from the boy's mother named Lim. She said in the letter that her son had nothing to do with the top prosecutor. The letter was sent both to Chosun Ilbo and Hankyoreh, a mid-sized liberal newspaper.
The 54-year-old woman said that she first met Chae as a customer at her bar in Busan, but their relationship was nothing more than being friends.
She concluded the letter with her name, social security number and fingerprint, attesting to the veracity of her statement. The letter immediately raised debate over its authenticity, however. The Chosun Illbo argued that the letter was "too logical" to have been written by a bar owner, apparently ignoring her intellectual ability.
On Thursday, the prosecutor general announced that he wou;d file a civil lawsuit with a court against the daily, demanding a correction over the "baseless" reports. He also confirmed once again his willingness to take a DNA test, pressuring the media company more forcefully.
However, on Friday, the situation changed drastically. At about 1:30 p.m., the Ministry of Justice said that it would inspect Chae over the allegations, in order to avoid fallout as the prosecutor's office was in danger of losing the public's trust because of the scandal.
It was the first time that the ministry launched an inspection into the prosecutor general.
It was only 30 minutes after the announcement when Chae offered to resign, saying he wanted to be the last person who quit over "groundless" reports. Though he was choosing to resign, he maintained his innocence, letting the public know that the movie is not over yet.
