Prosecutor Choo Mi-ae Excludes Investigation from Prosecutor's Role: "Prosecutors Must Faithfully Serve as Human Rights Supervisors and Ensure Legality of Investigations"

Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae is delivering a greeting at the commissioning ceremony for new prosecutors held at the Government Complex Gwacheon on the 3rd. Photo by Moon Ho-nam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] Minister of Justice Chu Mi-ae defined the role of prosecutors as "human rights supervisors" at an official event meeting newly appointed prosecutors.

She also emphasized their function as "legal professionals who maintain prosecution" and "prosecutors." There was no mention of the expression "investigators." This was a deliberate choice of words contrasting with the prosecution's principle of "prosecutors speak through investigations."

This statement is interpreted as emphasizing the necessity of recent discussions within the ruling party regarding the adjustment of investigative authority between the prosecution and the police, as well as the 'prosecution reform plan.'

At the 'New Prosecutors Commissioning Ceremony' held at 2 p.m. on the 3rd in the underground auditorium of Government Gwacheon Complex Building 1, Minister Chu referred to prosecutors as human rights supervisors and stressed, "They must faithfully perform their inherent role of controlling the legality of investigations."

She added, "The prosecution is an institution born to protect the human rights of the people and must function as legal professionals who control police investigations and maintain prosecution."

She also stated, "For the prosecution to regain the trust of the people, it must exercise prosecutorial power in a restrained and balanced manner, prioritizing the human rights of the people."

Twenty-six newly appointed prosecutors attended the commissioning ceremony that day. Among them were 25 who passed the 6th Bar Examination and one from the 26th Judicial Research and Training Institute class.

Minister Chu urged them, "As prosecutors entrusted with the duty to protect the lives and property of the people, you must carry out your responsibilities with a sense of justice and mission, doing your best to ensure that the rights and interests of socially vulnerable groups are not violated. Many cases you will encounter as prosecutors are important matters that affect someone's life. Rather than mechanically applying the law, I hope you listen to the stories of marginalized and vulnerable people and consider various aspects to realize substantive justice."

She continued, "Since January, we have been promoting investigative authority reform to decentralize prosecutorial power and lay the foundation for a democratic criminal justice system where prosecution and police mutually check and balance each other. I hope the newly appointed prosecutors understand the purpose of the system well and strive to ensure that the investigative authority reform takes root successfully."

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