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President Lee Jae-myung and Justice Minister Chung Sung-ho salute the national flag during a Cabinet meeting at the presidential office in Yongsan on Nov. 11. / Source: Yonhap News

The presidential office signaled it will swiftly approve the dismissal of Acting Prosecutor General No Man-seok, moving quickly to contain the political fallout from the prosecution’s controversial decision to drop its appeal in the Daejang-dong case.

Officials say the immediate acceptance of No’s resignation is intended to stop speculation over political pressure, quell internal dissent in the prosecution and stabilize the situation. But inside the presidential office, frustration toward No and what officials call “politicized prosecutors” is also surfacing.

According to the presidential office on Thursday, once Justice Minister Chung Sung-ho formally recommends No’s dismissal, it will be approved without delay. The office announced this stance roughly an hour after No’s resignation became public. A senior official said the move reflected a need “to restore order quickly.”

The presidential office has repeatedly insisted it had no involvement or communication with prosecutors regarding the decision to drop the appeal, distancing itself from the controversy even as questions persisted.

Its rapid acceptance of No’s resignation is widely interpreted as a judgment that he bears significant responsibility for the turmoil surrounding the appeal withdrawal.

A presidential official criticized No’s conduct, saying, “The person who caused the problem should be the one to resolve it. His actions were not appropriate for a public official.” The official added, “If something was wrong with the appeal decision, he should have handled it according to procedure. Instead, he said one thing publicly and another behind the scenes.”

Following widespread statements of opposition from chief prosecutors across the country, No hinted that he had felt pressure from the presidential office and the Justice Ministry, saying he had “no choice but to consider” the relationship between the two. He also said Wednesday, “They (the administration) wanted to erase it, but we were in no position to do so,” drawing a clear line between himself and the current government.

With No’s remarks suggesting higher-level pressure and his resignation itself seen as a form of protest, the conflict between prosecutors and the administration has become more visible.

Within the presidential office, some have taken a tough tone toward No’s behavior and the collective actions of prosecutors. Another senior official said, “Dropping an appeal has happened under previous administrations as well, but the reaction from these political prosecutors is completely different now,” adding that the situation “underscores why prosecution reform is necessary.”