[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Daehyun] Regarding the necessity of investigative supervision by Prosecutor General Kim Oh-soo in the case of allegations involving former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol's family, Minister of Justice Park Beom-gye stated, "I find it difficult to agree with the article that claims investigations only proceed if the Prosecutor General personally supervises every investigation nationwide, and otherwise investigations come to a halt."
On the 3rd, Minister Park met with reporters at the Ministry of Justice Government Gwacheon Complex and responded to the criticism that "the exclusion of the Prosecutor General's investigative supervision has led to a sluggish investigation by the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office into former Prosecutor General Yoon's family."
Previously, former Minister of Justice Chu Mi-ae excluded the Supreme Prosecutors' Office's investigative supervision over allegations involving former Prosecutor General Yoon's family and close associates in October last year during Yoon's tenure. This policy has been maintained even after Prosecutor General Kim assumed office.
Regarding this, Minister Park said, "From the perspective of decentralization within the prosecution, affairs should proceed autonomously," and added, "I understand that the Central District Prosecutors' Office has been conducting investigations with a sense of speed, clearing up old cases since the new chief prosecutor took office."
On the same day, concerning the Korean Bar Association's (KBA) plan to discipline lawyers registered on the legal service platform 'LawTalk,' Minister Park said, "I believe some of the concerns raised by the KBA are meaningful," and added, "There are quite a few people worried about a legal platform controlling the professional status of lawyers."
He continued, "I have instructed the Director of Legal Affairs to check whether LawTalk can consider inspection and improvement and whether they are willing to respond to the KBA's issues."
However, he emphasized that this action is not 'mediation.' Minister Park explained, "I have repeatedly stated that the LawTalk service does not violate the Attorney-at-Law Act," and added, "This is not a personal opinion but a report received through the approval line in practical work." He also noted, "The prosecution investigated possible violations of the Attorney-at-Law Act but repeatedly found no charges."
Nevertheless, he predicted, "(Whether the KBA) will actually discipline lawyers, I hope they do not, and I believe they will not."
Meanwhile, regarding the appointments of the currently vacant positions of Ministry of Justice Legal Affairs Director and Crime Prevention Policy Bureau Director, he said, "They will be announced soon." Regarding major tasks for the second half of the year, he mentioned, "Following the organizational reform, it is necessary to organize the Supreme Prosecutors' Office regulations," and added that dialogue with prosecution executives and investigators is also needed. He also stated that the recently announced 'Regulations on Prohibition of Disclosure of Criminal Cases' will be slightly revised and amended.
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