Prosecutors' Alumni Association: "Abolition of Prosecutors' Office in Government Organization Act Is Unconstitutional... Must Be Withdrawn Immediately"

The Prosecutors' Alumni Association, a group of retired prosecutors, on September 8 called for the immediate withdrawal of the proposed amendment to the Government Organization Act, which centers on abolishing the Prosecutors' Office.

Yonhap News Agency

In a statement released that day, the Prosecutors' Alumni Association said, "We urge the government and the ruling party to immediately withdraw the proposed amendment to the Government Organization Act that seeks to abolish the Prosecutors' Office." The Prosecutors' Alumni Association is a fellowship organization for retired prosecutors. Han Sangdae, who served as Director of the Criminal Affairs Bureau at the Ministry of Justice and as Chief Prosecutor of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office under the Lee Myung-bak administration, as well as Prosecutor General from 2011 to 2012, is currently serving as the association's ninth president.

The association stated, "We first offer our apologies to the public for the fact that trust in the prosecution has plummeted to the point of facing the risk of dissolution," adding, "We fully acknowledge that the current reality, in which the prosecution has become the subject of reform after losing its political neutrality and being criticized as a servant of power, stems from the faults of its members, and we humbly accept the public's reproach."

Nevertheless, the association emphasized, "We must point out that any reform should be carried out within the boundaries of the Constitution," expressing concern that "hasty reforms could trigger constitutional controversies and risk undermining the momentum for reform."

The statement continued, "The Constitution enacted in 1948, among countless positions, specifically designated the Prosecutor General as a matter for Cabinet deliberation, and this principle has been steadfastly maintained for over 70 years of constitutional history," adding, "This clearly affirms that the Prosecutors' Office and its head, the Prosecutor General, are not merely administrative organizations but institutions whose independence and neutrality are constitutionally guaranteed."

The Prosecutors' Alumni Association further stated, "Changing the name of a constitutionally recognized institution by law is an act that goes against the spirit of the Constitution and undermines the hierarchy of the legal system," adding, "It is no different from changing the constitutional court to a tribunal or the Prime Minister to a Vice President by law, and no one can deny that such actions are unconstitutional."

Additionally, the association said, "The genuine reform that the public desires can be fully achieved without resorting to changing names in a manner that invites constitutional controversy. The core of reform should not be about names, but about how the prosecution functions for the people," and earnestly appealed, "We sincerely ask that you seek the right path for the nation's long-term future, ensuring that constitutional values are not undermined in the process of reform."