PCC Advisory Committee Chair: "Abolishing Referral Request Rights Harms the People"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] Ahn Chang-ho, advisory committee chairman of the High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Office (HOCIO), emphasized that the Yoon Seok-yeol administration should approach cautiously the plan to abolish Article 24, Paragraph 1 of the HOCIO Act, which grants investigative priority to HOCIO.

In an interview with Yonhap News on the 5th, Chairman Ahn expressed doubts about completely removing the provision, saying, "Is it appropriate to entirely eliminate this clause?" He voiced concerns that "if high-ranking official investigations are conducted by the prosecution, police, and HOCIO all at once, one person could be investigated three times depending on the situation."

He further stressed that the provision should remain to check the police, whose powers have expanded due to the 'complete removal of prosecution's investigative authority' (Geom-su-wan-bak). "The police have gained omnipotent power, but police investigations could be heavily influenced by politics," he said. "This is not just for HOCIO but for our country's investigative system, so abolishing the clause requires a more cautious approach. (Removing the clause) would harm the public."

Regarding the legislative process of Geom-su-wan-bak, he warned, "Changing the investigative system after only a few months or days of consideration is unreasonable. Public hearings should be held, and it must be done carefully." He cautioned that "the public will suffer damage soon." As a former constitutional court justice, he said, "(The legislation) has significant procedural problems."

Chairman Ahn served as a prosecutor for 27 years, including roles as the Chief of the Public Security Planning Division at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, Deputy Chief Prosecutor of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, and Chief Prosecutor of Gwangju and Seoul High Prosecutors' Offices. He is known as a 'public security expert' who led investigations into major espionage cases such as the 'Ilshimhoe case.' In 2012, he was appointed as a constitutional court justice and served as a member of the '5th bench,' which was the first in constitutional history to exercise all adjudicative powers of the Constitutional Court. He presided over cases including the impeachment trial of former President Park Geun-hye, the dissolution trial of the Unified Progressive Party, and cases involving adultery and conscientious objection to military service.

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