Prosecutor Leadership's Unprecedented Mass Resignation... Strong Backlash Against 'Geomsuwanbak' Mediation Proposal

Prosecutor General Kim Oh-soo is answering questions from the press as he arrives at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office in Seocho-gu, Seoul on the 21st. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Daehyun] On the 22nd, a 'prosecutorial leadership vacancy' crisis occurred as Prosecutor General Kim Oh-soo and all frontline high prosecutors submitted their resignations in protest against the mediation plan related to the 'Geomsu Wanbak' (complete removal of prosecutorial investigative authority) bill proposed by National Assembly Speaker Park Byeong-seok.

On that day, Prosecutor General Kim, Deputy Prosecutor General Park Seong-jin, Seoul High Prosecutor Lee Seong-yoon, Suwon High Prosecutor Kim Gwan-jeong, and Daejeon High Prosecutor Yeo Hwan-seop, among other high prosecutors nationwide, opposed Speaker Park's mediation plan and submitted their resignations to the Ministry of Justice.

However, it is analyzed that the resignation of Lee, who is currently on trial for the 'illegal travel ban case of former Deputy Minister of Justice Kim Hak-ui,' is unlikely to be accepted. It is also reported that some frontline district prosecutors are considering resignation, suggesting that expressions of intention to resign within the prosecution organization will continue.

The Supreme Prosecutors' Office opposed Speaker Park's mediation plan, stating, "It is practically only a temporary postponement of the implementation timing of the existing bill," and "We firmly oppose the mediation plan." They also pointed out, "The mediation plan also brings significant changes to the criminal justice system, but there is a serious procedural problem as related agencies have not had a proper discussion in the National Assembly special committee and others, yet a target deadline has been set and the plan is being pushed forward."

Earlier, the Democratic Party and the People Power Party expressed their intention to accept the mediation plan on Geomsu Wanbak proposed by National Assembly Speaker Park Byeong-seok. Speaker Park included in the mediation plan a proposal to separate the prosecution's direct investigative authority and prosecutorial authority while temporarily maintaining the prosecution's direct investigative authority.

The mediation plan, consisting of a total of eight parts, aims to separate the prosecution's direct investigative authority and prosecutorial authority, with the prosecution's direct investigative authority being temporary, and even in cases of direct investigation, the investigating and prosecuting prosecutors are to be separated.

Regarding the prosecution's existing six major crimes investigations, it proposed "removing public official crimes, election crimes, defense industry crimes, and large-scale disasters," and "abolishing the prosecution's direct investigative authority once other investigative agencies reach a certain level of crime response capability." It also suggested "reducing the six special investigation divisions to three to decrease the total amount of direct investigations by the prosecution," and "limiting the number of prosecutors in the remaining three special investigation divisions to a certain level."

The mediation plan also included the formation of a Judicial Reform Special Committee with the authority to review bills, tasked with intensively discussing the entire judicial system, including the tentative 'Serious Crime Investigation Agency' (Korean-style FBI).

The Serious Crime Investigation Agency is ordered to complete legislative measures within six months after the formation of the special committee and to aim for its launch within one year. The Judicial Reform Special Committee consists of 13 members, with the chairperson from the Democratic Party, and members composed of seven from the Democratic Party, five from the People Power Party, and one from a non-negotiating group. It also includes provisions to incorporate crimes committed by officials of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (Gongso-cheo) into the prosecution's duties, to process the prosecution reform bill during this April's extraordinary session of the National Assembly, and to implement it four months after promulgation.

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