It is expected to take 8 months to establish the investigation system... Integrated management of additional cases likely difficult for the time being
[Asia Economy Reporter Baek Kyunghwan] The High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Agency (HOCI) has launched an emergency bidding process for the Criminal Justice Information System (KICS·Kix). This system is used by investigative agencies to electronically manage case information, but until now, HOCI has handled most received cases and related documents manually.
According to the legal community on the 13th, HOCI recently submitted a statement of reasons for emergency bidding to the Public Procurement Service, stating, "With the official launch, immediate investigation is necessary, but there is no supporting system," and requested to minimize the bidding process for system construction, considering the need for case transfer, prosecution filing, coordination, and information provision with other criminal justice agencies.
Although HOCI was launched in January, the Criminal Justice Information System was not established, so it managed over 1,000 received cases primarily on paper. This included registering received cases and tasks such as fact verification and criminal record checks, but there was no data repository to manage related records.
However, as the first investigation selection process was completed and the main investigation began, an investigative electronic network became essential. To proceed through investigation steps such as search and seizure warrants, arrest warrants, and prosecution procedures, records must be electronically transmitted and confirmed with courts and others. Currently, the prosecution, police, and courts also share case-related information through this system.
HOCI plans to use the Criminal Justice Information System for case and seized item registration and inquiry, attendance requests, preparation and management of reports, warrants, and decisions, trial support, and tasks necessary for investigation, prosecution, and maintenance of prosecution. It is expected that rapid and fair investigations will be possible through information sharing with other criminal justice agencies and related organizations.
Internally, HOCI estimates that system construction will take more than eight months considering coordination with other agencies, but it has set a goal to establish the basic system by the end of the year for smooth investigations.
However, it is expected to take more time before HOCI can simultaneously conduct additional case investigations. Although the personnel composition and the establishment of case handling rules necessary for investigative work have been completed, there are limitations to offline work with the current personnel without the Criminal Justice Information System.
Meanwhile, the construction of forensic-related facilities, which was initiated first to support investigators' smooth investigations, is still underway. Currently, discussions are ongoing with a leading domestic forensic system development company, and at this point, conducting independent forensic investigations is not easy.
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