Han Donghoon on Abolishing the Prosecution Office: "It's Like Replacing Korean Medical Insurance with Expensive Private Insurance"

Responds to Citizen's Question with Health Insurance Example
Claims "Abolition of Prosecution Office Will Cause Suffering for All"

After the National Assembly passed the amendment to the Government Organization Act, which centers on abolishing the prosecution office, Handonghun, a former prosecutor and former leader of the People Power Party, pointed out, "It's as if the Korean-style national health insurance system has been abolished, forcing individuals to purchase expensive private insurance instead." On the 28th, Handonghun introduced on his social media platform that a citizen had posted the following question on the "Hancut Bulletin Board": "How should we explain the seriousness and dangers of abolishing the prosecution office to those who do not understand them?"

Handonghun, former leader of the People Power Party. Photo by Kim Hyunmin

Here, "Hancut" refers to the community established by Handonghun. On the 25th, he launched this community as an effort to broaden communication with the public. A successful precedent for this kind of initiative is Hong Junpyo, the former mayor of Daegu, who created the youth community "Youth's Dream" and gained significant attention among younger generations. Handonghun is already taking various steps to communicate, such as hosting weekly live broadcasts. Recently, three months after the presidential election, he began a nationwide listening tour, starting in Geoje City, South Gyeongsang Province, on the 22nd. During this process, on the 23rd, he visited Jinju Innovation City and listened to the difficulties faced by small business owners. He also worked a day as a delivery part-timer at a chicken franchise, which is seen as an effort to hear the voices of marginalized groups.

In response to the question, Handonghun stated, "In the past, if you lost money, even if the prosecution found no charges, prosecutors would at least clarify the facts about the loan, making it possible to recover your money. Now, you have to hire a lawyer according to your means and fight on your own." He continued, "It has become a system where 'justice must be purchased according to one's means.' The wealthy and powerful will be unaffected, but all other citizens will suffer," he emphasized.

The Prosecution Office Closes Its Doors After 78 Years... Growing Concerns in Some Quarters

As Handonghun pointed out, with the prosecution office, which has served as the vanguard of criminal investigations, closing its doors after 78 years and losing its direct investigative authority, concerns are mounting about a decline in the nation's ability to respond to crime. The government and the ruling party plan to continue investigative functions through the newly established Serious Crime Investigation Agency, but there are predictions that the loss of accumulated know-how and human resources will be inevitable. As a result, there are calls to urgently devise measures to fully preserve the prosecution's investigative capabilities, in addition to ensuring checks and balances among investigative agencies in line with the principle of separating investigation and prosecution, which is a key part of prosecution reform.

Truck opposing the abolition of the prosecution office in front of the Central District Prosecutors' Office. Photo by Yonhap News

According to the Government Organization Act passed by the National Assembly on the 26th, the amendment abolishes the prosecution office's direct investigative authority and changes its name to the "Prosecution Office," which will only be responsible for indictment and maintenance of prosecutions. The amendment will take effect in September next year after a one-year grace period. Once the amended law is implemented, the prosecution office will no longer be able to initiate investigations directly and will only be able to conduct supplementary investigations on cases referred by the police. If, in subsequent discussions, even the supplementary investigative authority is removed, the prosecution office will not be able to investigate referred cases and will only be able to request supplementary investigations from the police. In the legal community, there are concerns about whether the police, the Serious Crime Investigation Agency, and the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials, which will take over investigative responsibilities from the prosecution, can seamlessly replace these functions. Meanwhile, former Ministers of Justice and Prosecutors General who oppose the amendment, which includes the abolition of the prosecution office, have declared the revision "clearly unconstitutional" and announced plans to file a constitutional complaint with the Constitutional Court.