Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae: "Prosecutorial Reform Must Be Led by the Prosecution and Pursued from the Public's Perspective"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae reiterated that "the main agent of prosecutorial reform must be the prosecution itself."

Minister Choo attended the commissioning ceremony of 10 new prosecutors held at the Ministry of Justice building in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province, around 2 p.m. on the 1st, urging them to participate in prosecutorial reform.

Minister Choo said, "We are pushing forward prosecutorial reform, which has never succeeded since the introduction of the prosecution system," and added, "The prosecution must take the lead in reform and carry it out from the perspective of the people." She has expressed this view several times in official settings since taking office.

She continued, "Since the prosecution is embarking on a new path, there may be confusion at the front lines," and added, "I expect the new prosecutors to handle cases with dedication on the front lines and play an important role in the changed environment."

Meanwhile, earlier that day, Minister Choo appeared on KBS Radio's 'Kim Kyung-rae's Strongest Current Affairs' and addressed the issue of disclosing the identities of accomplices in the so-called 'n-beonbang' (Nth Room) case, stating, "We will disclose the identities of accomplices who bear heavy responsibility."

Minister Choo said, "Under the current Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment, etc. of Sexual Crimes, disclosure of identities is possible when necessary for the public interest," and regarding the accomplices, she stated, "I declare that they will be prosecuted with the strongest and harshest sentences. I emphasize that they should surrender quickly, reflect on their crimes, and cooperate in eradicating these offenses."

Regarding the investigation into the use of undisclosed information by the bio company Sillajen and reports alleging collusion between a sitting chief prosecutor and a Channel A reporter from a comprehensive programming channel, she said, "There is a recording and it is quite detailed, so I do not think this is an issue that can be overlooked," adding, "We will first receive a report on the facts, and if it is at a stage where reasonable suspicion cannot be excluded, it will be necessary to investigate through inspections or various other methods."

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