Board of Audit and Inspection: "The Important Economic Crime Investigation Unit Not Included in the Prosecutor's Office Organizational Regulations Should Be Abolished"

Board of Audit and Inspection Announces Regular Audit Results of Supreme Prosecutors' Office and Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office... Notification on the Need to Increase Disciplinary Measures for Prosecutorial Officials' Bribery and Entertainment

[Asia Economy Reporter Ryu Jeong-min] The Board of Audit and Inspection has released results stating that the Important Economic Crime Investigation Unit, which is not included in the Prosecutor's Office organizational regulations, should either be abolished or converted into a regular organization through consultation with the Ministry of the Interior and Safety.

On the 18th, the Board of Audit and Inspection announced the results of a regular audit on the organization, personnel, and budget execution of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office and the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office. This audit was conducted over 12 days from June 18 to July 3 of last year.

The Board of Audit and Inspection pointed out issues in the operation of the Important Economic Crime Investigation Units at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, Incheon District Prosecutors' Office, and Suwon District Prosecutors' Office. The Board stated, "As of the end of May 2020, a total of 16 local prosecutors' offices are operating Important Economic Crime Investigation Units (Junggyeongdan) that are not included in the Prosecutor's Office organizational regulations," and added, "The Junggyeongdan units operated by the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, Incheon, and Suwon District Prosecutors' Offices were established between January 2014 and February 2015 and have been operating for over five years."

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The Board of Audit and Inspection noted, "The Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office was utilizing nine chief prosecutor-level prosecutors working in the Junggyeongdan unit, all of whom were dispatched personnel from other prosecutors' offices rather than its own staff," and added, "Nevertheless, the Ministry of Justice did not take measures to abolish the organization, which is not included in the Prosecutor's Office organizational regulations, or to convert it into a regular organization through consultation with the Ministry of the Interior and Safety."

The Board of Audit and Inspection notified the Minister of Justice to reconsider the necessity of maintaining the Important Economic Crime Investigation Unit and the Acting Prosecutor Division, which are operating without being reflected in the Prosecutor's Office administrative regulations, and to prepare measures to either abolish them or convert them into regular organizations through consultation with the Ministry of the Interior and Safety.

Furthermore, the Board of Audit and Inspection also pointed out issues regarding disciplinary actions for prosecutors' office employees receiving money or entertainment at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office. The Board explained, "The Supreme Prosecutors' Office cannot set more lenient disciplinary standards than those stipulated in the Enforcement Rules of the Public Officials Disciplinary Act, which is a Prime Ministerial decree, when establishing its own disciplinary standards."

The Board of Audit and Inspection criticized, "Although specific disciplinary standards based on the amount of money or entertainment received and the relevance to duties were newly established when the Enforcement Rules of the Public Officials Disciplinary Act were revised in December 2015, the Supreme Prosecutors' Office did not reflect this in revising its misconduct handling guidelines."

The Board of Audit and Inspection stated, "When a prosecutor's office employee receives money or entertainment exceeding 3 million won without relevance to their duties, they should be disciplined with at least a demotion; however, the internal disciplinary standards for prosecutors' office employees are lighter than those stipulated in the Enforcement Rules of the Public Officials Disciplinary Act," criticizing the situation.

The Board of Audit and Inspection notified the Prosecutor General to prepare measures to revise the internal disciplinary standards related to money and entertainment receipt in the 'Guidelines for Handling Crimes and Misconduct of Prosecutors' Office Employees' to align with the Enforcement Rules of the Public Officials Disciplinary Act.

Meanwhile, the Board of Audit and Inspection stated, "Each local prosecutors' office and branch office must notify the Ministry of Health and Welfare of the trial results when a medical professional is sentenced to imprisonment or higher in cases where prosecutors have filed charges, so that the medical professional's license can be revoked."

The Board of Audit and Inspection warned, "Nine local prosecutors' offices and branch offices, including the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, have failed to notify the Ministry of Health and Welfare of trial results, resulting in medical licenses not being revoked or being revoked only after a long period following the confirmation of trial results," urging caution.

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