Minbyun Criticizes Ministry of Justice's Establishment of Personnel Information Management Unit: "Are We Heading Toward a Prosecutorial Dictatorship?"

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[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] The Lawyers for a Democratic Society (Minbyun) strongly criticized the newly established 'Personnel Information Management Unit' under the Ministry of Justice, asking, "Are we heading toward a prosecutorial dictatorship?"

On the 25th, Minbyun's Judicial Center issued a statement expressing concern that "the Ministry of Justice, which oversees all prosecutors' offices nationwide, is becoming an omnipotent institution by exercising authority over the collection and management of personnel information."

They continued, "In the previous administration, the Office of Civil Affairs conducted personnel verification through police intelligence functions and did not transfer this information to the Ministry of Justice (prosecutors), preventing its direct use in investigations. This firewall is now being removed," they pointed out.

Furthermore, "According to the revised ordinance, a provision is newly introduced allowing active-duty officers from the Ministry of National Defense, employees of the National Intelligence Service, and officials from the Board of Audit and Inspection to be placed within the Ministry of Justice," adding, "If the Minister of Justice collects personnel, policy, and security information dispersed across the National Intelligence Service, Ministry of National Defense, and Board of Audit and Inspection, it will become an omnipotent institution."

Minbyun emphasized, "The current administration, led by a president who is a former Prosecutor General, must recognize the public criticism and concerns toward the prosecution and has the responsibility to advance the democratization of power institutions, respecting the spirit of the bipartisan agreement made in the National Assembly just a month ago."