Major Revision to Prosecution Reform Bill? Prime Minister's Office: "We Take Concerns Seriously, Will Consult With the Party" (Comprehensive)

Prime Minister Kim Minseok:
"Abolishing Supplementary Investigative Authority Is the Principle"

The Prosecution Reform Task Force under the Office of the Prime Minister stated on January 13, "We take seriously the concerns and criticisms raised regarding the proposed legislation that has been announced for public notice," adding, "Going forward, we will conduct a more thorough review from the public's perspective and do our utmost to finalize the bill by continuing consultations and gathering feedback from the party." This statement, which was not originally planned, was issued in response to backlash from some members of the ruling party, who criticized the government’s prosecution reform proposal released the previous day as creating a "second prosecution office." It is expected that the government’s proposal will be significantly revised to reflect the ruling party's opinions during the upcoming discussions in the National Assembly.

Prime Minister Kim Minseok. Photo by Yonhap News

Prime Minister Kim Minseok also wrote on Facebook that afternoon, "Prosecution reform is an absolute and non-negotiable task, and the separation of investigation and indictment is at the core of this reform," adding, "We have consistently maintained that the principle is to abolish the supplementary investigative authority." Regarding President Lee Jaemyung’s directive earlier that morning for the party to deliberate and the government to gather opinions, he emphasized, "The bills for the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency and the Prosecution Service will be thoroughly discussed within the party and the National Assembly during the public notice period, and the government will actively collect feedback." He reiterated, "We will do our utmost to prepare a final bill that upholds the true intent of prosecution reform."

However, Prime Minister Kim did not express a clear opinion on the so-called dual structure of the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency (separating investigation judges and professional investigators), which is the most contentious issue. The question of whether to grant supplementary investigative authority to prosecutors in the Prosecution Service will be discussed during the future revision process of the Criminal Procedure Act, but he reaffirmed the principle of "abolition" in this regard.