Cheong Wa Dae announced the replacement of the vice justice minister Monday, as the ministry looks set for a strong drive to reform the prosecution service following the ruling party's overwhelming general election win.

President Moon Jae-in picked Koh Ki-young, chief the Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors' Office, to replace Kim O-su for the position, according to Cheong Wa Dae.

Born in Gwangju, 330 kilometers south of Seoul, Koh studied law at Seoul National University and earned a master of laws degree from the school.

He passed the state judicial exam in 1991 and has served at a number of key posts at the Prosecution Service.

Cheong Wa Dae especially cited his experience as director-general of the ministry's crime prevention bureau in 2017.

"He's expected to contribute to firmly establishing the rule of law that justice and human rights are respected, along with the completion of judicial and prosecution reform," Cheong Wa Dae spokesman Kang Min-seok said in a statement.

Reforming the prosecution, said to have excessive power, is one of Moon's major campaign pledges. The government is preparing to set up a non-prosecution agency in July to be tasked with looking into corruption among high-level government officials, including senior prosecutors.

The reform push has received a boost from the Democratic Party's victory in the April 15 elections, in which it secured three-fifths of the 300 parliamentary seats. (Yonhap)