Ruling Party and Government Principally Confirm Abolition of Prosecutors' Office... 'Details Like Supplementary Investigative Authority to Be Decided Later'

Separation of Serious Crimes Investigation Agency and Prosecution Service Finalized
Decision on Supplementary Investigative Authority Deferred to Next Year
Prosecution Reform Task Force to Be Formed Under Prime Minister’s Office

On September 7, the party-government leadership finalized the main framework of the government organization restructuring plan, which includes the abolition of the Prosecutors’ Office. However, issues such as whether to maintain the prosecution’s supplementary investigative authority and the controversy over the establishment of the National Investigation Committee remain as future tasks. While the principle of abolishing the Prosecutors’ Office has been firmly established, questions regarding the scope and role of investigative authority, including supplementary investigative powers, still need to be resolved.

The Democratic Party, the government, and the Presidential Office finalized the Government Organization Act through a high-level party-government meeting on this day. The Democratic Party plans to process the Government Organization Act at the National Assembly plenary session on September 25, before the Chuseok holiday.

The long-standing issue of separating the prosecution’s investigative and indictment powers has effectively been settled through this reform. The Prosecutors’ Office will be divided into the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency, which will take over the prosecution’s investigative authority, and the Prosecution Service, which will handle indictments. Although there was discussion about whether the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency should be under the Ministry of Justice, the Government Organization Act places it under the Ministry of the Interior and Safety.

At the high-level party-government meeting held at the Prime Minister's Residence in Jongno-gu, Seoul, participants including Democratic Party leader Chung Cheongrae, Prime Minister Kim Minseok, and Presidential Chief of Staff Kang Hoonshik are taking a commemorative photo. Photo by Yonhap News

However, the specific details of the government organization restructuring plan will be discussed at a later date. Han Jeongae, the Democratic Party’s Policy Committee Chair, stated, "We will form a pan-government prosecution reform task force under the Prime Minister’s Office, and through close consultation with the party-government leadership, we will prepare a proposal as soon as possible."

Minister of the Interior and Safety Yoon Hojung also explained, "The establishment of the Prosecution Service and the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency is scheduled to take effect one year after the promulgation of the law, in consideration of the preparation period needed for detailed restructuring." This means that tasks such as detailed adjustments to investigative authority will be finalized by next year.

Previously, there were strong voices within the Democratic Party calling for the completion of detailed prosecution reform measures before Chuseok. However, as both public and private disagreements emerged regarding the specific direction of prosecution reform, it appears that discussions have been concluded at the level of outlining the basic direction of prosecution reform for now.

The Government Organization Act, which includes the dissolution of the Prosecutors’ Office, will be submitted to the National Assembly in the form of a legislative bill sponsored by lawmakers and will go through the legislative process in parliament.