The Corruption Investigation Office Proposes Resuming the 'Tripartite Council' with Prosecution and Police... Seeking a Compromise on 'Conditional Transfer'

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Bae Kyunghwan] The High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Agency (Hogwigongjikja Beomjoe Susa Cheo, Gongsucheo) has reportedly proposed to resume the 'tripartite council' meetings with the prosecution and police.

According to the legal community on the 11th, Gongsucheo requested the two agencies to reopen the tripartite council, which was suspended after the first meeting on March 29.

Although the detailed schedule has not been set, the second meeting is expected to discuss the 'prosecutorial discretion referral' related to the Gongsucheo case handling rules. Prosecutorial discretion referral refers to a process where Gongsucheo refers cases involving misconduct by judges, prosecutors, and police officers of rank superintendent or higher to the prosecution or police. After the respective agency completes the investigation, the case is returned to Gongsucheo, which then decides whether to prosecute.

In response, the prosecution has rebutted, stating, "Creating a new criminal procedure without legal grounds has a high potential to conflict with our criminal justice system." Gongsucheo, on the other hand, maintains that it is "based on Article 45 of the Gongsucheo Act."

Meanwhile, these agencies are expected to finalize the specific date and attendees for the council soon. At the first council meeting, Park Kidong, Director of Criminal Policy at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, attended for the prosecution; Choi Junyoung, Director of Investigation Structure Reform at the National Police Agency, attended for the police; and Yeo Woon-guk, Deputy Director of Gongsucheo, attended for Gongsucheo.