Nomanseok, Acting Prosecutor General: "Uncovering the Truth Through Supplementary Investigations Is the Prosecution's Duty"

Expresses Opposition to Abolishing Supplementary Investigation Authority

Nomanseok, Acting Prosecutor General and Deputy Chief Prosecutor at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, stated, "It is the prosecution's duty to uncover the truth through supplementary investigations." This remark is interpreted as a rebuttal to the recent ruling party's push to abolish the prosecution's supplementary investigation authority, which has become a key issue in the ongoing debate over prosecution reform.

Nomanseok Acting Prosecutor General. Photo by Jo Yongjun

On September 4, the Supreme Prosecutors' Office announced that Deputy Chief Prosecutor Nomanseok made these comments while visiting the Busan High Prosecutors' Office and Busan District Prosecutors' Office to offer encouragement after attending the 32nd Anti-Drug Liaison Officials’ Meeting for International Cooperation (ADLOMICO) held in Busan the previous day.

During the visit, Nomanseok emphasized, "Uncovering the substantive truth through supplementary investigations while adhering to due process is not just the prosecution's authority, but its duty." He added, "Let us fulfill our duty to protect the public from crime-both under current circumstances and in the future, whatever the situation may be."

Nomanseok's remarks are seen as expressing opposition to the Democratic Party of Korea's call, as part of prosecution reform, for a complete abolition of the prosecution's supplementary investigation authority over police investigations. Last month, Lim Eunjeong, Chief Prosecutor of the Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors' Office, also publicly advocated for the abolition of the prosecution's supplementary investigation authority at the National Assembly.

Since then, there has been continued opposition within the prosecution, with many arguing that the supplementary investigation authority is necessary.

The Democratic Party is currently pursuing prosecution reform that would abolish the Supreme Prosecutors' Office and establish a Serious Crimes Investigation Agency and a Prosecution Service. The plan is to transfer investigative authority to the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency and prosecutorial authority to the Prosecution Service, thereby achieving a complete separation of investigation and prosecution functions.