Transition Team: "Abolishing Investigation Command Authority and Independent Prosecution Budget Allocation Are Yoon's Pledges, Not Strengthening Prosecutorial Power"

President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol is presiding over the Economic Subcommittees 1 and 2 and the Science, Technology, and Education Subcommittee briefing meeting held at the Presidential Transition Committee in Tongui-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul on the 31st. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Ki-min Lee] On the 31st, the Presidential Transition Committee drew a clear line regarding President-elect Yoon Seok-yeol's pledge to abolish the Ministry of Justice Minister's authority to direct investigations in specific cases and to grant budgetary independence to the prosecution, stating that it is "not an enhancement of prosecutorial power."

The Political and Judicial Administration Subcommittee of the Transition Committee stated in a press release that "the pledge aims to break the bad practice of political power controlling the prosecution through the Minister of Justice, thereby guaranteeing the political neutrality of the prosecution, while ensuring democratic control of the prosecution through the National Assembly."

It further explained, "President-elect Yoon himself intends to relinquish the authority to control the prosecution through the Ministry of Justice Minister's investigative directive power, and it is not intended to strengthen prosecutorial power."

The Transition Committee also conveyed that "with the enforcement of the amended criminal laws, there have been many criticisms that delays and poor investigations have occurred due to the rejection or refusal to accept complaints, and the ping-pong passing of cases between investigative agencies such as the prosecution and police, causing ordinary citizens and the public to suffer unjust damages without receiving prompt relief, as reported in the media."

It added, "The prosecution-police responsibility investigation system is designed so that the police take responsibility for investigations during the police investigation stage, and the prosecution takes responsibility for directly supplementing investigations after referral, thereby preventing such side effects and harms and swiftly resolving the grievances of the public. It is not intended to expand the prosecution's authority."

The Transition Committee cited media reports indicating that 67% of lawyers believe police investigation delays have become severe after the adjustment of prosecution-police investigative rights, as well as the status of compliance with supplementary investigation requests nationwide at prosecution offices as evidence.

In particular, the committee reiterated its position that the initiation of direct investigations by prosecutors should be limited to six major crimes that require prosecutors to investigate from the outset: corruption, economic crimes, public officials, elections, defense projects, and large-scale disasters.

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