Park Beom-gye "Joint Inspection Results to be Announced on 14-15... Break and Separation from the Past"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Baek Kyunghwan] Park Beom-gye, Minister of Justice, is expected to announce improvements to prosecutorial investigation practices as early as the 14th. This comes four months after the Ministry of Justice and the Supreme Prosecutors' Office launched a high-intensity joint inspection related to the alleged witness tampering in the case involving former Prime Minister Han Myeong-sook.

On the 12th, Minister Park told reporters on his way to the Government Complex Gwacheon, "We will announce the results of the joint inspection around Wednesday or Thursday," adding, "This is intended to serve as a foundation for improving systems and organizational culture, and since it has been conducted over nearly four months based on objectivity and empirical verification, it is appropriate to announce the results now."

It is highly likely that Minister Park will personally announce the joint inspection results to the press. Regarding the expectation that the improvements will be stringent, Minister Park added, "This is not about punishing or disciplining anyone, but about laying the groundwork for system and organizational culture improvements."

The prosecutorial investigation practice and organizational culture improvement plan consists of five categories: ▲Human Rights Protection ▲Judicial Control ▲Prosecutor-Police Investigation Cooperation ▲Public Interest Representatives ▲System Improvement. Detailed items have been subdivided and additional improvement measures are reportedly included. Minister Park explained, "It is a break and separation from the past, hoping that prosecutors will work diligently in line with the new investigative environment." However, considering the COVID-19 situation, the announcement format may be somewhat altered. Minister Park also mentioned, "We are reviewing ways to conduct this while adhering to quarantine guidelines," and "We plan to form a press pool."

Meanwhile, regarding the fact-finding investigation into Deputy Chief Prosecutor Lee, who is suspected of receiving money from Kim, who impersonated a fisheries businessman to commit fraud, Minister Park stated, "Once the investigation begins, we will discuss how to concretize the approach through meetings with the inspection officers and those in charge of inspections."

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