'Repeated Failures in Arrest Warrants' by the Corruption Investigation Office, Abolishing the Prosecution Division and Expanding the Investigation Division

The High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Agency (Hugwan Gongjikja Beomjoe Susa Cheo, Gongsucheo) is expanding its investigative departments. This move appears to be aimed at ending the ongoing controversy over 'insufficient investigative capacity' since its launch in 2021.

High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Agency / Photo by Asia Economy DB

On the 29th, Gongsucheo announced this organizational restructuring plan in the 'Partial Amendment Rules of the High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Agency Organization Act' published in the official gazette. Opinions on this legislative notice will be collected until the 6th of next month.

According to the notice, Gongsucheo will create a new 'Investigation Department 4' responsible for case investigations and related affairs, in addition to the existing Investigation Departments 1 to 3. The Prosecution Department, which handled the maintenance of prosecutions for indicted cases, will be abolished, and its duties will be transferred to the Human Rights Investigation Policy Officer and others.

A Gongsucheo official stated, "This organizational restructuring is intended to actively respond to the increasing demand for case investigations under limited personnel conditions and to prepare for the anticipated rise in prosecution cases. Additionally, it is a measure to operate the organization efficiently through some task adjustments."

Gongsucheo explained that with this restructuring, the number of investigative departments will increase from three to four, and with the abolition of the Prosecution Department, the responsibility for maintaining prosecutions will be directly handled by the investigative department in charge of the case.

Furthermore, all litigation work outside of investigations, such as civil lawsuits, administrative lawsuits, and quasi-appeals, will be overseen by the Human Rights Investigation Policy Officer. Matters related to pardons, sentence reductions, reinstatements, and criminal compensation payments, which were previously under the Prosecution Department, will be transferred to the Case Management Officer.

Since its launch in January 2021, Gongsucheo has requested arrest warrants four times, but all were dismissed. Earlier this month, during a National Assembly Budget and Accounts Committee meeting, media captured a conversation via mobile phone messages between Director Kim Jin-wook and Deputy Director Yeo Woon-guk discussing, "We will carefully consider the timing of the fifth warrant."