Prosecutors Actively Respond to COVID-19... Yoon Seok-yeol's Regional Inspections Temporarily Suspended

Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol is performing the national salute with attendees at the meeting of all district prosecutors and election-related deputy chief prosecutors held at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office in Seocho-gu, Seoul on the 10th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] In response to the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) crisis that has struck the entire nation, the prosecution will actively respond this week following last week.

According to the prosecution on the 23rd, the Supreme Prosecutors' Office held an expanded executive meeting on the morning of the 21st to review the prosecution's response to COVID-19 and to establish future action plans.

Immediately after the meeting, the Supreme Prosecutors' Office formed and activated a 'COVID-19 Response Task Force (TF)' team, led by Lee Jung-soo, Director of the Planning and Coordination Department. Additionally, response teams were established at 18 local prosecutors' offices. In particular, Daegu, where the spread of COVID-19 progressed most rapidly, formed a response team the day before the meeting and took preemptive measures by distributing masks and other personal hygiene supplies.

Furthermore, the prosecution will minimize summons investigations that require suspects and witnesses to be called to the prosecution office for questioning. This is intended to prevent the spread of COVID-19 that could occur due to unnecessary travel of case-related individuals. The same applies to suspects physically detained in detention facilities. Also, prosecution-related events will be refrained from, and programs such as prosecution office tours will be postponed.

Meanwhile, Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol has decided to suspend visits to local prosecutors' offices for the time being. He visited Busan High Prosecutors' Office and District Prosecutors' Office on the 13th, and Gwangju High Prosecutors' Office and District Prosecutors' Office on the 20th, and was considering visiting Daegu High Prosecutors' Office and District Prosecutors' Office on the 27th. However, due to the rapid spread of COVID-19 recently, and considering the difficulty of holding events where many staff gather such as meetings, internal inspections, and dinners, the local visit schedule has been temporarily suspended. Remaining schedules will be decided after March based on the progression of the COVID-19 situation.

Prosecutor General Yoon urged frontline prosecutors to "strictly comply with government policies for COVID-19 prevention and ensure that there is no gap in the enforcement of criminal law, a core national function, by making thorough efforts in response."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.