Kim Jin-wook, Head of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials, Says "Supplementary Measures Needed for Complete Separation of Investigation and Prosecution"
Active Prosecutor: "Jungsucheong is Like the Special Higher Police of the Japanese Colonial Era"
Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol is leaving the Ministry of Justice building after meeting with Park Beom-gye, Minister of Justice, who is about to take office, at the Gyeonggi Government Gwacheon Complex on the 1st of last month. / Gwacheon - Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@
[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Seok-jin] Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol expressed a clear opposition to the ruling party’s plan to establish the Serious Crime Investigation Office (Jungsucheong) and the ‘separation of investigation and prosecution’ during a media interview on the 2nd, which is expected to cause a stir.
Amid growing criticism within the prosecution against the legislative push to abolish even the remaining investigative authority over the ‘six major crimes’ left to prosecutors after the adjustment of investigative authority between the police and prosecution, Prosecutor General Yoon plans to announce an official stance on the establishment of Jungsucheong as early as today.
In the media interview released on the same day, Yoon strongly criticized the ruling party’s legislative push to establish Jungsucheong as “a de facto ‘dismantling of the prosecution,’ an obliteration of the rule of law, and a destruction of the constitutional spirit.”
He pointed out, “If investigation and prosecution are separated, it will be impossible to firmly respond to the unfair acts of socially powerful and vested interests,” adding, “The realization of justice through law enforcement ultimately means filing a lawsuit and obtaining a judicial ruling, and investigation, prosecution, and maintenance of the public prosecution cannot be separated.”
He continued, “This is a hasty legislation that destroys not just the prosecution organization but the 70-year criminal justice system,” and said, “If it is something I can stop by risking my position, I will do so a hundred times.”
In the interview, Yoon appealed, “I ask the public to take an interest so that hasty legislation does not take place.” Some criticize that Yoon’s media interview before officially announcing his stance on Jungsucheong was a political move to engage in a public opinion battle.
Yoon plans to announce an official position based on the collected opinions from frontline prosecution offices regarding Jungsucheong, as early as today or at the latest after visiting Daegu High Prosecutors’ Office and District Prosecutors’ Office on the 3rd.
Meanwhile, Kim Jin-wook, head of the High-ranking Officials’ Crime Investigation Office, also said to reporters on his way to work that morning, “If the prosecutor in charge of investigation is not involved, there may be situations where maintaining the public prosecution becomes difficult,” and pointed out, “The complete separation of investigation and prosecution requires supplementation.”
Seong Gi-beom, a prosecutor from the Police University at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office, posted on the prosecution’s internal network the previous afternoon, stating, “The Jungsucheong that the ruling party is pushing to establish is just creating another police organization, no different from the Special Higher Police during the Japanese colonial era,” and argued, “It is an organization devised to wield a new sword against any forces opposing the thoughts of the bill’s proposers and to severely punish so-called national offenders (Guksabeom).”
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