"Prosecutor-Police Reform Hits a Dead End"... Police Also Overflowing with Complaints

- Adjustment of investigative authority 'Presidential Decree' Police Agency field officers briefing
- Continued criticism of half-hearted prosecution reform
- "After 70 years of hardship, barely secured a house... still a monthly tenant"

On the 5th, participants are listening to the opening remarks of Lee Gyu-moon, Director of the Investigation Bureau at the National Police Agency, during the on-site meeting for the legislative notice of the presidential decree related to investigation authority adjustment held at the National Police Agency. / Photo by National Police Agency

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-joo] As the detailed enforcement decree related to the adjustment of investigative authority between the prosecution and the police is expected to be announced for legislative notice soon, frontline police officers have voiced their opposition. They argue that the content fails to properly reflect the purpose of the prosecution and police reform.

On the 5th at 2 p.m., the National Police Agency held an "On-site Police Officer Briefing on the Presidential Decree Legislative Notice Draft Following the Amendment of the Criminal Procedure Act and the Prosecutors' Office Act" at the police headquarters in Migeun-dong, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul. About 90 investigative practitioners from police stations nationwide attended the event.

In his opening remarks, Lee Gyu-moon, Director of the Investigation Bureau at the National Police Agency, said, "The reform of investigative authority aims to establish an equal and cooperative relationship between the prosecution and the police and to set up democratic procedures. However, it is regrettable that some of our opinions were not reflected," and added, "I ask for frank and candid opinions."

Frontline police officers unanimously stated that the currently prepared enforcement decree does not properly embody the main purpose of the investigative structure reform. First, the inclusion of drug and cybercrime in the prosecution's direct investigation fields has come under scrutiny. Lim Seong-bin, a warrant examiner at Namyangju Police Station in Gyeonggi Province, pointed out, "Drug crimes are classified as economic crimes, and cybercrimes as major disaster crimes, so the prosecution's investigative authority is still broadly recognized, exceeding the delegated scope defined by law."

Kim Seon-taek, head of the Criminal Division at Seongnam Sujeong Police Station, also expressed regret, saying, "The reason the discussion on investigative authority gained momentum was because the current government started it for prosecution reform, but the claims to protect vested interests of the reform targets were accepted as they were." He added, "Besides the scope of direct investigation by prosecutors, the part where prosecutors can investigate without restriction as long as they obtain a search warrant must be excluded."

Concerns were also raised about the Ministry of Justice leading the presidential decree on the Criminal Procedure Act (regulations on mutual cooperation between prosecutors and judicial police officers and general investigative principles), which covers the affairs of both the police and the prosecution. Jeong In-tae, head of the Voice Phishing Task Force at Dongjak Police Station, said, "Since the presidential decree on the Criminal Procedure Act comprehensively covers the affairs of both agencies, joint leadership is natural, but if led solely by one agency, that agency will dominate." Lim Seong-bin likened this to, "After 70 years of hardship, I thought I finally owned a house, but it still feels like I am a tenant paying monthly rent."

There were also calls for improvements to specific provisions of the enforcement decree. Yoon Young-yong, an investigation deliberator at Incheon Namdong Police Station, said, "So far, the prosecution's separate investigations have been problematic, but this decree recognizes the prosecution's broad separate investigations on police-transferred cases." He suggested, "In the UK, there is a provision allowing the prosecution to assist the police 24 hours a day, and if such a provision is inserted, it could lead to a true cooperative relationship."

The National Police Agency clearly stated its intention to revise the draft enforcement decree. A National Police Agency official emphasized, "Since the original purpose of the law amendment, 'prosecution reform,' has not been realized, we will continuously strive to make corrections in the future."

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