Suwon District Prosecutors' Office Holds Meeting Opposing Complete Prosecution Reform... Chief Prosecutor Shin Seong-sik Absent

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] On the 21st, the Suwon District Prosecutors' Office held a press briefing opposing the complete removal of prosecutorial investigative authority (Geomsu Wanbak) and gathered opinions. Among them, Shin Seong-sik, the chief prosecutor of Suwon District Prosecutors' Office, who is classified as pro-government, did not attend.

At 10 a.m. that day, the Suwon District Prosecutors' Office held a press briefing in the briefing room, presided over by Deputy Chief Prosecutor Yang Jung-jin. The briefing was attended by Human Rights Protection Officer Yoon Cheol-min, Public Investigation Department Head Kim Jong-hyun, and Criminal Division 5 Chief Shin Tae-hoon. However, Shin Seong-sik, the head of the Suwon District Prosecutors' Office (age 57, Judicial Research and Training Institute class 27), did not attend.

So far, starting with Kim Hu-gon, chief prosecutor of Daegu District Prosecutors' Office (age 57, Judicial Research and Training Institute class 25), other chiefs such as Ko Kyung-soon of Chuncheon District Prosecutors' Office (age 50, class 28), Lee Joo-hyung of Ulsan District Prosecutors' Office (age 55, class 25), Lee Won-seok of Jeju District Prosecutors' Office (age 55, class 27), Noh Jeong-hwan of Daejeon District Prosecutors' Office (age 55, class 26), and Choi Kyung-gyu of Uijeongbu District Prosecutors' Office (age 59, class 25) have expressed their positions on Geomsu Wanbak through press briefings, which contrasts with the absence of Shin Seong-sik.

On the same day, Lee Soo-kwon, chief prosecutor of Busan District Prosecutors' Office (age 54, class 26), and Noh Jeong-yeon, chief prosecutor of Changwon District Prosecutors' Office (age 55, class 25), also directly voiced the problems of Geomsu Wanbak to the media.

Regarding this, Deputy Chief Prosecutor Yang Jung-jin said, "I don't think it is a matter that requires the chief prosecutor's statement," adding, "In some places, the chief prosecutor presides over the briefing, and in others, the human rights protection officer does."

Human Rights Protection Officer Yoon Cheol-min explained, "Since other prosecutors' offices have already sufficiently expressed their positions, we prepared this opportunity to present specific cases so that the public can feel what parts the prosecution has investigated."

On this day, the prosecution presented 24 representative cases that required supplementary investigation, including the "Hwaseong adopted child abuse and murder case," emphasizing the problems of Geomsu Wanbak.

In the "Hwaseong adopted child abuse and murder case," where a two-year-old adopted child's head was struck, causing traumatic brain hemorrhage and unconsciousness, the prosecution's supplementary investigation revealed additional facts of neglect and abandonment, where the adoptive parents delayed treatment for seven hours fearing exposure of the crime. The victim child eventually died during the trial.

Based on the materials confirmed through supplementary investigation, the prosecution proved the adoptive parents' "intent regarding the death," and all were sentenced guilty in the first trial (adoptive father sentenced to 22 years in prison, adoptive mother sentenced to 6 years in prison).

Deputy Chief Prosecutor Yang said, "Although it is sensitive and not included in the materials, the police referral case of Seongnam Mayor Eun Soo-mi, currently on trial, and the indictment facts prosecuted by the prosecution are completely different," emphasizing the necessity of supplementary investigation by the prosecution.

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