Ministry of Justice and Supreme Prosecutors' Office Likely to Announce Results of Joint Inspection on Prosecutors' Investigation Practices Next Week

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] The joint inspection results by the Ministry of Justice and the Supreme Prosecutors' Office to rectify improper investigative practices by the prosecution are expected to be released next week.

According to the legal community on the 31st, the Ministry of Justice's Inspection Office and the Supreme Prosecutors' Office Inspection Department are scheduled to announce the joint inspection results on investigative practices around the 10th of next month, following the inauguration of the new Prosecutor General and the announcement of personnel appointments at the chief prosecutor level.

The Ministry of Justice and the Supreme Prosecutors' Office began the joint inspection starting with a working-level joint meeting held in March. They plan to analyze not only the case of former Prime Minister Han Myeong-sook but also other investigation cases to establish the concepts of 'successful direct investigation' and 'failed direct investigation' and propose institutional improvement measures.

The investigation into allegations of witness tampering and coaching by the prosecution team during the former Prime Minister Han's case served as the impetus for this joint inspection.

The allegations of witness tampering and coaching arose when a petition was filed in April last year claiming that the investigation team had induced false testimony from inmates during the 2011 trial of former Prime Minister Han, stating that "the late Han Man-ho, former CEO of Hanshin Construction, said he gave money to former Prime Minister Han."

This case was handled by Lim Eun-jung, the Supreme Prosecutors' Office Inspection Policy Research Officer, who recommended prosecution, but the conclusion was overturned to no charges after former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol assigned a lead prosecutor, sparking controversy.

In response, Minister of Justice Park Beom-gye exercised his authority to direct investigations, ordering, "Reconsider the allegations of witness tampering and the decision on prosecution in the former Prime Minister Han's case at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office chiefs' meeting."

The expanded meeting of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office chiefs and high prosecutors also concluded to not prosecute the inmate accused of witness tampering. While Minister Park accepted this, he ordered a special review of improper investigative practices through the joint inspection.

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