President Yoon Orders Improvement of Excessive Punitive Regulations That Hinder Corporate Activities

Minister of Justice Han Dong-hoon’s Work Report
Yoon: "Establish a Strict Response System for Corruption and Crimes Causing Multiple Harm to Ordinary People"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Ki-min Lee] President Yoon Suk-yeol instructed on the 26th during the Ministry of Justice's work briefing to "improve excessive criminal penalty regulations that stifle corporate activities."

President Yoon made this remark after receiving a work report from Minister of Justice Han Dong-hoon at the Yongsan Presidential Office building in the morning. Presidential Office spokesperson Kang In-sun conveyed that the president said, "I hope the top priority of legal administration will be policies that revive the economy." Minister Han's briefing to the president lasted for 1 hour and 10 minutes starting at 10 a.m.

President Yoon also requested the flexibilization of visa policies to support labor demand in industrial sites.

Additionally, President Yoon instructed, "Please establish a strict response system against corruption and crimes causing multiple damages to ordinary citizens," and "swiftly complete an efficient cooperation system between the prosecution and police, and ensure thorough cooperation systems with related agencies such as the National Tax Service, Korea Customs Service, Financial Supervisory Service, and the Fair Trade Commission."

President Yoon further urged, "Please also ensure thorough human rights protection administration," and ordered, "Simultaneously promote improvements in the treatment of correctional facility inmates and correctional officers."

Minister Han reflected during a briefing after the work report, saying, "Nearly half of the Ministry of Justice's public officials are correctional officers, whose work environment and treatment have been relatively very poor compared to other uniformed public officials," and added, "As a result, we have not been able to provide correctional services at a level befitting the nation's dignity to the public."

He continued, "We will improve treatment so that on-site correctional officers can work with pride and also strive to establish order among inmates," and explained, "Along with this, we will expand inmate accommodation space and modernize facilities to guarantee the human rights of inmates. That is our ultimate goal."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Regarding strict responses to corruption, Minister Han said, "(Due to the 'Prosecution's Investigation Authority Reorganization Act') the prosecution's capacity to respond to national crimes has seriously diminished," and added, "How to respond to the national reduction in the prosecution's capacity to handle corruption crimes is the Ministry of Justice's top priority."

When asked about plans to address the abolition of the Public Corruption Investigation Office Act, which grants superior investigative authority to the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO), he explained, "During about one year of operation, it rather caused delays and emotional conflicts in national crime cases, weakening the capacity to respond to national crimes."

He urged thorough preparation for preventing heinous crimes and crimes against women and children, especially requesting the reorganization of legal systems and electronic monitoring systems for supervising high-risk repeat offenders.

When asked by reporters whether there was any discussion about the 'August 15 Liberation Day special pardon,' he replied, "Today's work briefing was a general report on how the Ministry of Justice will implement policies and to hear the president's comments on that," and added, "There was no mention of pardons." He further said, "Pardons are not a subject of reporting but the president's exclusive authority," and "As the department conducting the review, it is inappropriate for me to preemptively discuss standards or directions regarding pardons."

Regarding questions about the new government's personnel issues from the perspective of someone responsible for personnel verification, he said, "As someone who has just started to be involved in personnel verification, it seems presumptuous to evaluate the president's personnel work," but added, "I am aware of various concerns, so I think each of us should consider those points and fulfill our respective roles." He continued, "My work is to conduct objective primary verification without judgment, and I will faithfully carry out that work."

Regarding the operation of the Prosecutor General Candidate Recommendation Committee to select the new government's first Prosecutor General, he explained, "The prosecutor's job is to investigate cases and crimes accurately without other considerations," and added, "The Prosecutor General should be someone who can properly support and fairly lead that. The person who leads according to prosecutorial common sense and justice will become the Prosecutor General."

When asked about former Minister of Justice Park Beom-gye's remark during a government questioning session the previous day, pointing out Minister Han's restoration of 'tea time' as strengthening collusion between prosecutors and the media, Minister Han emphasized, "Rather, in investigations under the previous administration, was there really no leaking or tea time?" and said, "Public officials responsible for important duties must receive uncomfortable questions from the media."

Regarding the lowering of the age of criminal responsibility for juvenile offenders under 14 and related education and resocialization measures, he explained, "I am aware of various concerns about lowering the age. It does not mean abandoning the state's philosophy of not giving up on juveniles who have the potential for reform early. We are considering various complementary reform methods."

Regarding former Minister Park Beom-gye's comment that restoring 'tea time'?where prosecutors in charge of important cases brief reporters?strengthens collusion between prosecutors and the media to govern the country through investigations, Minister Han rebutted, "It is necessary to balance the right to know and human rights protection. Rather, was there really no leaking during investigations under the previous administration?" He added, "I think the harmonious way is to provide opportunities to ask responsible persons questions fairly in a designated manner in a public place and to have dialogue."

He continued, "I believe public officials responsible for important duties should receive uncomfortable questions from the media," and emphasized, "Whether they answer immediately or not answering is also an answer. Communication should be possible in that way, and it should be formalized and transparent."

When asked whether President Yoon gave instructions to revise or improve the Serious Accidents Punishment Act, which some say could burden small business owners and self-employed people in cases of serious civic disasters, he replied, "When laws are enacted, many cases include excessive criminal penalty provisions. Sometimes including criminal penalties clarifies the content or direction of the law," and added, "However, when accumulated, many issues that could be resolved by fines or other penalties are included in criminal law provisions, which can have a chilling effect on many economic actors. The intention is to improve that part." He emphasized, "It is not about changing embezzlement or breach of trust, which really need punishment, into fines."

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