Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol: "The Prosecutor's Battlefield is the Courtroom... Investigations Must Also Be Reorganized into a Trial-Centered System"

Yoon Seok-yeol, Prosecutor General. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Seok-jin] Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol emphasized on the 23rd during a meeting with frontline prosecutors that “investigations must also be reorganized into a trial-centered system.”

Prosecutor General Yoon made this point at a luncheon meeting on the “trial-centered investigation structure” held from noon at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office in Seocho-dong, Seoul.

The meeting was conducted with six participants, including prosecutors in charge who are piloting the “trial-centered investigation structure reform plan” at frontline prosecution offices and planning prosecutors from the respective offices. Deputy Prosecutor General Cho Nam-gwan and Criminal Policy Officer Park Ki-dong from the Supreme Prosecutors' Office were also present.

According to the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, Prosecutor General Yoon stated at the meeting, “Trials are the most important aspect of prosecutorial work, and investigations can be considered the preparation process for trials,” emphasizing, “Ultimately, the prosecutor’s battlefield is the courtroom.”

In particular, Prosecutor General Yoon requested, “Please focus discussions on how to efficiently present evidence in court in the future, moving away from the past investigation method centered on preparing written statements.”

He said, “Investigations and interrogations are not about preparing written statements but about recognizing and collecting evidence and case-related information for prosecution and trials,” and “the work system must also be changed to fit this new paradigm.”

He continued, “Prosecution and trials involve finding the truth through mutual confrontation between parties under conditions of fair competition and equal opportunity, so investigations must also be reorganized into a trial-centered system as a process preparing for trials.”

Additionally, Prosecutor General Yoon stated, “The vision of prosecutorial reform must be a ‘fair prosecution,’ and to realize this, there is a need to establish ‘Affirmative Action’ measures for socially vulnerable groups,” urging, “Please work energetically through mutual consideration and communication, fulfill your duties faithfully, and strive to become a ‘prosecution working together with the people.’”

A Supreme Prosecutors' Office official said, “After the luncheon meeting, prosecutors plan to hold a four-hour meeting regarding the ‘trial-centered investigation structure reform plan,’” adding, “Based on the results of the meeting, the Supreme Prosecutors' Office will promptly present a standard model of the ‘trial-centered investigation structure’ to frontline offices.”

The prosecution is currently piloting the system reform in preparation for the implementation of the amended Criminal Procedure Act, which reflects the adjustment of investigative authority, scheduled for January next year, at three prosecution offices: Daegu District Prosecutors' Office, Busan District Prosecutors' Office, and Gwangju District Prosecutors' Office.

The Supreme Prosecutors' Office also stated that the luncheon meeting and prosecutors’ meeting were conducted in strict compliance with government quarantine guidelines.

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