Park Beom-gye "Prosecutor Organization Reform Plan... Not an Investigation Approval System"

Minister of Justice Park Beom-gye / Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Daehyun] Park Beom-gye, Minister of Justice, responded to the criticism that "the Ministry of Justice's prosecution organization reform plan is effectively an investigation approval system" by stating that it is "the legalization of the existing Supreme Prosecutors' Office regulations" and "not a significant change."

On the 25th, as Minister Park entered the Government Complex Gwacheon, he met with reporters and said, "Even now, in places without an Anti-Corruption Investigation Division, direct investigations require the approval of the Prosecutor General according to the Supreme Prosecutors' Office regulations," adding, "This is about legalizing that, and it is different from investigation command."

On the 21st, the Ministry of Justice sent a prosecution organization reform plan to the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, which included provisions preventing the general criminal division from initiating investigations into the so-called 'six major crimes'?corruption, public officials, economy, elections, major disasters, and defense projects?that are subject to direct prosecution by the prosecution.

On the same day, Minister Park emphasized, "There was an investigation authority reform through amendments to the Prosecutors' Office Act and the Criminal Procedure Act, and this is about organizing parts that have not yet been refined through enforcement ordinances, so it is not a significant change," adding, "Please understand this as a process of steadily carrying out the remaining tasks under the given conditions."

Meanwhile, regarding the leak of the indictment contents of Lee Seong-yoon, Chief Prosecutor of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, he explained, "I am emphasizing daily that the truth of the leak must be thoroughly investigated." However, concerning the commencement of the investigation by the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) into the indictment leak, he refrained from commenting, saying, "I don't think it is appropriate for me to comment on that."

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