Prosecutors' Human Rights Committee Recommends "Avoid Repeated Summons, Minimize Repeated Seizures and Searches"

Third Meeting Held Today

Seoul Seocho-dong, Supreme Prosecutors' Office building. / Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Seok-jin] The Supreme Prosecutors' Office Human Rights Committee (Chairman Kang Il-won) has recommended to the Supreme Prosecutors' Office to refrain from repeatedly summoning suspects and other related parties, and to minimize repetitive searches and seizures at the same residence.

It also recommended expanding remote video investigations of witnesses, activating simplified investigations via phone, email, and SNS, and minimizing the conversion of a witness's status to that of a suspect on the day of summons.

On the 15th, the Human Rights Committee held its 3rd meeting in a small conference room on the 15th floor of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office main building in Seocho-dong, Seoul, where it received reports and discussed the human rights-centered investigation task force's review of ▲human rights-centered summons and investigation methods ▲implementation of human rights investigations during residential search and seizure ▲practical realization of participation rights in electronic information seizure procedures, and made these recommendations.

The human rights-centered investigation task force is a working group under the Human Rights Committee of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, established to review and improve investigation-related systems and practices. It was launched on June 16 with Professor Lee Sang-won, a human rights committee member, and Chief Prosecutor Noh Jeong-hwan of the Trial and Prosecution Department (acting head of the Human Rights Department) as co-team leaders, along with one criminal law professor and three lawyers as team members.

At the meeting, internal member Deputy Chief Prosecutor Koo Bon-seon stated, “Following the second committee meeting on June 4, where the need to establish a work system to strengthen prevention and supervision of human rights violations during prosecution investigations was raised, this year has been designated as the inaugural year of human rights investigations, aiming to fundamentally shift the prosecution work paradigm to ‘human rights protection,’ leading to the launch of this task force.”

Prior to the meeting, the Supreme Prosecutors' Office demonstrated the 'Human Rights Work Guide ZIP,' which organizes human rights protection systems and regulations related to prosecution work, to the committee members.

The committee first recommended measures related to ‘human rights-centered summons and investigation methods,’ including ▲preventing human rights violations caused by unjust repeated summons ▲preventing improper inducement or pressure during interrogation and investigation ▲preparing improvement plans to diversify witness investigation methods.

Regarding diversification of witness investigation methods, the committee recommended actively conducting remote video investigations of witnesses and promoting simplified investigations via phone, email, and SNS.

It also recommended implementing human rights protection measures for witnesses, such as minimizing the conversion of a witness's status to that of a suspect through arrest or interrogation on the day of summons.

Next, concerning ‘implementation of human rights investigations during residential search and seizure’ and ‘practical realization of participation rights in electronic information seizure procedures,’ the committee recommended strengthening procedural restrictions equivalent to those for arrest warrants, such as minimizing repetitive search and seizure at the same residence when requesting a residential search warrant.

It also recommended devising ways to minimize harm to family members during search and seizure, ensuring the tranquility of the residence as much as possible, providing sufficient explanations to the parties involved so they can understand the search and seizure process, and establishing methods for them to freely express their opinions.

The Supreme Prosecutors' Office stated, “We plan to prepare specific implementation measures through consultations with the Ministry of Justice and gathering opinions from field prosecutors in response to the committee's recommendations.”

Established on February 5 with a total of 15 members including two internal prosecutors such as the Deputy Chief Prosecutor and the Head of the Human Rights Department, the Supreme Prosecutors' Office Human Rights Committee is responsible for discussing and advising on all major issues related to prosecution work, including institutional improvements and reforms.

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