Park Beom-gye Draws His Sword, Extending from Investigation Authority to Organization... The Impact of 'Prosecutor Organization Reform'

Park "As Part of Prosecutorial Reform, One of Moon Jae-in Government's Tasks"... Likely to Affect Investigations into the Administration

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Baek Kyunghwan] Park Beom-gye, Minister of Justice, is launching a major organizational restructuring to reduce the prosecution's investigative authority. Some view this as a preliminary step toward the final phase of the Moon Jae-in administration's prosecution reform, known as ‘Geomsu Wanbak’ (complete removal of prosecution's investigative authority).

On the morning of the 24th, while heading to the Government Complex Gwacheon, Minister Park explained the background of the restructuring to reporters, saying, "Investigation authority reform is part of prosecution reform and one of the tasks of the Moon Jae-in administration, but there are still parts that have not been fully organized."

On the 21st, Minister Park sent an official inquiry letter through the Supreme Prosecutors' Office to local prosecutors' offices regarding opinions on the prosecution's organizational restructuring. The restructuring plan focuses on reducing the prosecution's direct investigative functions and strengthening cooperation with the police in accordance with the adjustment of investigative authority.

First, the violent crime divisions at frontline prosecutors' offices will be consolidated into anti-corruption and violent crime divisions. At the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, the Violent Crime Criminal Division will be renamed the Anti-Corruption and Violent Crime Investigation Cooperation Division, and the Anti-Corruption Investigation Division 1 and 2 will be renamed Anti-Corruption and Violent Crime Investigation Division 1 and 2. This measure reflects the transfer of investigative authority over violent crimes such as drug offenses to the police due to the adjustment of investigative authority. Instead, a Human Rights Protection Division (tentative name) will be established to handle requests for supplementary investigations and reinvestigations related to the police. Since the police organization has grown larger with the granting of primary investigative closure authority, this division is expected to play a role in checking the police.

A Financial and Securities Crime Investigation Cooperation Unit will be newly established at the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors' Office to respond to financial and securities crime investigations. This is similar to the Joint Securities Crime Investigation Unit abolished during former Minister Choo Mi-ae's tenure. However, since prosecutors in the cooperation unit may not be assigned direct investigations, it is uncertain whether the unit will function effectively. Minister Park stated, "We are exploring an organization to respond to financial and securities crimes, considering the practical need for investigations and organic cooperation between the prosecution and police."

Once the restructuring plan is finalized, the prosecution's functions will be significantly reduced. If Kim Oh-soo, the nominee for Prosecutor General, passes the confirmation hearing and is appointed, a large-scale personnel reshuffle in the prosecution will follow, making internal resistance inevitable.

Interpretations that the organizational restructuring is a card to check additional investigations into the current administration are in the same context. Currently, the Suwon District Prosecutors' Office Criminal Division 3 is investigating the ‘Kim Hak-ui illegal deportation’ case, and the related ‘Blue House planned investigation suspicion’ case is being investigated by the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office Criminal Division 1. Additionally, most investigations related to the administration, such as the early shutdown suspicion of the Wolseong Unit 1 nuclear power plant and the embezzlement and breach of trust case involving Assemblyman Lee Sang-jik, are being conducted by the criminal divisions of frontline prosecutors' offices, such as the Daejeon District Prosecutors' Office Criminal Division 5 and Jeonju District Prosecutors' Office Criminal Division 3, respectively.

However, until the new Prosecutor General is appointed and the organizational restructuring is completed, investigations into the administration are expected to accelerate. The Suwon District Prosecutors' Office Criminal Division 3 is reportedly about to indict Lee Gwang-cheol, Blue House Civil Affairs Secretary, and the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office Criminal Division 1 is preparing to summon Prosecutor Lee Gyu-won, who is accused of falsifying and leaking the meeting report with Yoon Joong-chun, and Secretary Lee, who is identified as the mastermind behind it.

In addition, the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office Criminal Division 5, which is handling the case of Deputy Minister of Justice Lee Yong-gu's assault on a taxi driver, has entered the final stages, summoning Deputy Minister Lee for questioning six months after the incident. The Daejeon District Prosecutors' Office Criminal Division 5 is also expected to indict former Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Baek Woon-gyu and former Blue House Industrial Policy Secretary Chae Hee-bong (currently President of Korea Gas Corporation).

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