Park Cheolwoo, Seoul Central District Chief Prosecutor: "Supplementary Investigations Are Where the Prosecution Can Prove Its Value"

"Feeling Frustrated and Deprived as Our Passion Is Entirely Denied"
Involvement in Daejang-dong 'Appeal Withdrawal'... "A Lot of Inaccurate Information Circulating"

Park Cheolwoo, the newly appointed Chief Prosecutor of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, is delivering his inauguration speech at the 66th Chief Prosecutor Inauguration Ceremony held on the 21st at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office in Seocho-gu, Seoul.

Park Cheolwoo, the newly appointed Chief Prosecutor of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, stated, "Effective judicial oversight of police investigations and supplementary investigations are crucial areas where the prosecution can once again be recognized by the public for its significance."

In his inauguration speech on the 21st, Chief Prosecutor Park said, "There has never been a time when I have felt such a sense of deprivation and self-doubt, as if all the passion we have poured in has been entirely denied. To be honest, I cannot deny my own feelings of frustration."

He continued, "Let us begin by reflecting on moments when the fairness of our investigative authority was questioned by the public, and on words or actions that may have seemed arrogant, even unconsciously. This is not about assigning blame to anyone, but about adopting an attitude of self-examination to see if we have, perhaps unknowingly, fallen short or gone too far."

He added, "Only when we step away from our own political beliefs or habitual practices and strive to view cases as objectively as possible-and reflect on ourselves with that same objectivity-will the public once again recognize the sweat and effort we have devoted to protecting them from crime. There is a legal maxim that delayed justice is not justice. Even at this very moment, many citizens are expecting swift decisions from the prosecution. Let us focus the capabilities of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office on responding to crimes that are directly linked to the lives of the people, and establish ourselves as a prosecution that safeguards the daily lives of the public."

Chief Prosecutor Park also addressed the prosecution reform initiatives being pursued by the government and the ruling party. He said, "Effective judicial oversight of police investigations and supplementary investigations are crucial areas where the prosecution can once again be recognized by the public for its significance," and added, "To this end, I will review the efficiency of our work system and seek ways to allocate resources appropriately so that each member can take pride in their work and fully demonstrate their capabilities."

Chief Prosecutor Park is reportedly involved in the process where the prosecution leadership decided not to appeal the Daejang-dong development corruption case. Regarding this, on his way to work that day, he stated, "There is a lot of inaccurate information circulating about me." However, he refrained from specifying which aspects were inaccurate.