Daegum Responds to Ministry of Justice: 'Unacceptable to Accept the Prosecutor's Office Organizational Reform Plan'

Issues and Improvement Directions of Organizational Restructuring... Interest in Whether Ministry of Justice Opinions Are Reflected

Seoul Seocho-gu, General Prosecutors' Office building exterior. /

[Asia Economy Reporter Baek Kyunghwan] The Supreme Prosecutors' Office has responded that it is difficult to accept the prosecution organization reform plan promoted by the Ministry of Justice.

According to the legal community on the 14th, the Supreme Prosecutors' Office reportedly conveyed to the Ministry of Justice yesterday an opinion that it is difficult to accept the prosecution organization reform plan currently being promoted by the Ministry of Justice.

In its response, the Supreme Prosecutors' Office is known to have pointed out specific problems with the organizational reform plan and suggested some directions for improvement. Currently, the Supreme Prosecutors' Office has not made an official statement.

The 'Second Half of 2020 Prosecutors' Office Organization Reform Plan' prepared by the Ministry of Justice mainly aims to significantly reduce the middle management positions of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office's investigative command, including downsizing the Investigation Information Policy Officer, abolishing the Senior Research Officer of the Anti-Corruption and Violent Crimes Division, the Public Investigation Policy Officer, and the Forensic Investigation Planning Officer.

The plan also includes maintaining only four divisions in three offices for the Public Investigation Division, while converting all others, along with the Violent Crimes Division and Foreign Affairs Division, into Criminal Divisions, thereby increasing the number of Criminal and Trial Divisions.

After the organizational reform plan became known, internal opposition has continued among current prosecutors, centered on claims of a 'hasty reform.' Internal backlash pointing out practical difficulties with the plan has poured in, and there have been issues raised about the tight schedule for collecting opinions and the urgent push for implementation. It is reported that such frontline opinions were reflected in the Supreme Prosecutors' Office's comprehensive response.

As internal criticism persisted, Kim Taehoon, the head of the prosecution division at the Ministry of Justice responsible for the reform plan, apologized, saying, "I feel sorry." Kim explained, "The main contents of the reform plan, which is being pushed for implementation through the Cabinet meeting in August, include the reorganization of some direct investigation departments in certain offices, the reorganization of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, and adjustments under the Deputy Chief Prosecutor of the Central District Prosecutors' Office." He clarified that changes related to the prosecution work system, such as the 'one trial division, one prosecutor, one investigator system,' were not reflected in this reform plan.

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