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Hwang Cheol-gyu, President of the International Association of Prosecutors (IAP), is delivering the keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the 13th European Union (EU) Prosecutors General Meeting held in Austria from May 11 to 13. Photo by IAP

[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Kyung-jun] Hwang Cheol-gyu, President of the International Association of Prosecutors (IAP), stated that the independence and neutrality of prosecutors must be ensured.

According to the IAP on the 22nd, President Hwang attended the 13th European Union (EU) Prosecutors General Meeting held in Austria from the 11th to the 13th and emphasized, "The independence and neutrality of prosecutors must be secured at a uniform level worldwide so that prosecutorial authority can be properly exercised in each country, and furthermore, international cooperation among prosecutors of different countries can proceed smoothly."

In addition to the 27 EU member states' Prosecutors General, who are regular members, the meeting was attended by Prosecutors General from some non-EU European countries such as the United Kingdom, as well as representatives from the IAP, the European Union Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation (EUROJUST), and the European Judicial Training Network (EJTN), totaling about 40 delegations.

In his keynote speech at the opening ceremony, President Hwang stated, "The European Public Prosecutor's Office, the world's first international prosecution office newly launched with both investigative and prosecutorial powers to actively respond to transnational crime, represents a different approach from the international criminal cooperation organizations that have operated so far. It has presented a new direction that prosecutors worldwide should follow in the future beyond Europe." He added, "For smooth international cooperation, it is a prerequisite that prosecutors in each country operate independently and neutrally."

During a bilateral meeting with Franz Fr?hlich, Prosecutor General of Austria, the host and chair country, there was an exchange of views on the reform status of the criminal justice systems in both countries. It was reported that Austria, like South Korea, is experiencing significant conflicts between experts such as prosecutors and political claims during the criminal justice reform process. In the meeting, Prosecutor General Fr?hlich explained that Austria is currently pursuing constitutional amendments to significantly strengthen the investigative command authority of the Austrian prosecution by next year.

Additionally, the meeting adopted a declaration condemning Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Concerns were also expressed regarding the murder of a Paraguayan prosecutor by a mafia organization that occurred during the meeting period.