Hwang Unha and Choi Kangwook United on Prosecutorial Reform... "Reform Without Abolishing Prosecutorial Investigation Rights Is Merely a Facade"

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeon Jin-young] On the 23rd, ruling party first-term lawmakers from the Democratic Party and the Open Democratic Party, along with experts, held a legislative public hearing on the establishment of the Serious Crime Investigation Agency (SCIA) and discussed measures to completely separate the prosecution and investigation functions of the prosecution.

At 10 a.m. on the same day, Democratic Party lawmaker Hwang Unha and Open Democratic Party lawmaker Choi Kang-wook held the "Legislative Public Hearing on the Establishment of the Serious Crime Investigation Agency" at the Irum Center in Yeouido, Seoul, to discuss these issues. The hearing was also attended by Democratic Party lawmakers Kim Seung-won, Yoon Young-duk, Jang Kyung-tae, Kyungui University Law School professor Seo Bo-hak, and Korea University Law School professor Kim Ki-chang. According to the bill introduced by lawmaker Hwang on the 8th, all investigations of six major crimes currently handled by the prosecution?corruption, economic crimes, public officials, elections, and defense business?will be transferred to the SCIA. In effect, the prosecution will only be responsible for prosecution and maintaining public prosecution.

Hwang Unha, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, is speaking at the legislative public hearing for the establishment of the Serious Crime Investigation Agency to completely separate investigation and prosecution, held on the 23rd at the Irum Center in Yeouido, Seoul. Photo by Yoon Dongju doso7@

In his opening remarks, lawmaker Hwang stated, "There is no civilized country where the prosecution exercises direct investigative authority comprehensively," and criticized, "As Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl himself has stated, the essential function of the prosecution is prosecution. The prosecution has long lost its neutrality as its identity has been distorted into an investigative agency."

Regarding the resumption of discussions on the SCIA just two months after the adjustment of investigative authority between the police and prosecution, he pointed out, "The prosecution still does not accept the adjustment of investigative authority and the establishment of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO), and has not implemented the recommendations of the Ministry of Justice and Prosecution Reform Committee."

He added, "As long as the prosecution holds investigative authority as power, prosecution reform cannot advance even a step. Unless the prosecution's investigative authority is abolished, prosecution reform is merely superficial," emphasizing, "If we do not act now, prosecution reform, which has remained an unfinished task, will become entrenched."

Lawmaker Choi also remarked, "The prosecution is clearly a public prosecution agency by its very name. It has mistaken itself as an investigative agency and, due to various mistakes, the public has come to realize what the prosecution's role should be," sarcastically calling it "a historical achievement of political prosecutors led by Prosecutor General Yoon." He expressed hope that "many opinions will be organized here and that this will become a place of enlightenment for citizens," adding, "I wanted to hold such events several times but could not. I will create more opportunities going forward."

Lawmaker Kim said, "When I worked as a judge, I believed that the equality of parties between the prosecutor and the defendant and the full realization of trial-centered justice meant separating investigation and prosecution," and added, "The fruit of months of discussion is the joint proposal and realization of the SCIA law. I have witnessed many cases where families, companies, and local communities were destroyed by the prosecution's excessive investigations. I will ensure that investigative authority is used solely for the people so that such incidents no longer occur."

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