Park Beom-gye "Focus on Preventing Leakage of Blood Facts"... Prosecution Announces Improvements to Investigation Practices

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Baek Kyunghwan] Park Beom-gye, Minister of Justice, will present an improvement plan for prosecutorial investigation practices, including measures to prevent the leakage of suspect information. This is the result of a joint inspection by the Ministry of Justice and the Supreme Prosecutors' Office related to the alleged obstruction of justice by former Prime Minister Han Myeong-sook.

On the 14th, Minister Park will announce the joint inspection results at the Ministry of Justice's main conference room in the Government Complex Gwacheon. Key officials such as Ryu Hyuk, Inspector General of the Ministry of Justice, and Im Eun-jeong, Director of Inspection, will also be present, and the briefing will be broadcast live on the Ministry of Justice's YouTube channel.

The core issue is the prevention of suspect information leakage. On his way to the Gwacheon office that day, Minister Park told reporters, "They say it's the public announcement of suspect facts, but that expression doesn't seem appropriate. It is the leakage of suspect information," adding, "That part was the main focus."

This joint inspection began with allegations that there was perjury in the trial of former Prime Minister Han, who was convicted of violating the Political Funds Act, and that the prosecution investigation team at the time had coached it. The key issue was reports that the prosecution pressured the late Han Man-ho, former CEO of Hanshin Construction, to give testimony that he gave bribes, in an attempt to aggressively investigate former Prime Minister Han.

However, the Supreme Prosecutors' Office concluded that there was "insufficient evidence" and found no charges against the parties involved. In response, Minister Park exercised his authority to direct the investigation five days before the statute of limitations expired, but the Supreme Prosecutors' Office's chiefs' meeting again decided not to prosecute. Minister Park pointed out that the meeting summoned the prosecutors from the investigation team without prior consultation, and that the meeting's proceedings and results were leaked externally, ordering a joint inspection.

The joint inspection, which lasted four months, was led by the Ministry of Justice's Inspection Office. Starting with the first joint meeting at the end of March, Minister Park received the first report on April 20, and the joint meetings were held every two weeks.

In addition to the former Prime Minister Han case, the announcement will include the overall review results of investigation practices, from the acquisition of direct investigation intelligence to preliminary investigations, investigations, prosecutions, public disclosure of suspect information due to media promotion, and perjury during the trial stage. It is expected to include step-by-step improvement measures and present criteria for success and failure in direct investigations.

Meanwhile, Minister Park has repeatedly expressed his determination, saying, "The inspection will not end vaguely or half-heartedly," and "We will uncover various problems inherent in so-called prosecutorial direct investigations and improve the system for prosecutorial reform."

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