Seoul:South Korea has initiated a significant reform to its criminal justice system by launching a restructured Prosecution Service and a new Serious Crimes Investigation Agency (SCIA). These bodies were officially inaugurated, replacing the existing prosecutors' office, which had been in place for 78 years.
According to Yonhap News Agency, this overhaul aims to address longstanding criticisms regarding the prosecution's extensive authority over investigations and indictments. The reform removes investigative powers from prosecutors, confining their role to indicting and maintaining indictments against suspects. Consequently, police will assume greater control over criminal investigations.
The transition includes the abolition of the prosecution's 42 departments formerly responsible for investigations, with these functions transferred to the SCIA. This new agency will focus on probing major crimes, including corruption, economic crimes, defense acquisition, drug offenses, crimes against state security, cybercrimes, and offenses involving legal distortion.
Interior Minister Yun Ho-jung emphasized the need for strong collaboration between the agencies, stating that responsibilities to the public should remain undivided. He stressed the importance of both agencies fulfilling their roles and maintaining a comprehensive cooperation system to prevent gaps from arising in case handling.
Despite these intentions, the reform has been met with criticism and concerns over the police potentially wielding excessive authority with diminished prosecutorial oversight. The police have recently been under public scrutiny due to alleged misconduct, notably in a case involving a missing person on Jeju Island.
Further complications include the absence of leadership, as both agencies were launched without appointed chiefs, sparking worries about decision-making effectiveness. President Lee Jae Myung has called for a parliamentary hearing to confirm Kim Ji-yong, a former prosecutor, as the inaugural SCIA chief. Kim's nomination has faced resistance from some Democratic Party members due to his previous opposition to prosecution reform.
The SCIA also faces challenges related to staffing, operating with only about 1,900 employees, approximately 66 percent of its authorized capacity of 2,874.