Lee: "Is Getting Rid of the Crocks Because of Maggots Right?"... Suggests Retaining Supplementary Investigative Rights for Prosecutors

"Thorough Mechanisms and Detailed Review and Debate Needed"
"Set Aside Political Emotions; Listen to Experts, Victims, and Prosecutors Alike"

Yonhap News Agency

On September 11, President Lee Jaemyung expressed caution regarding the prosecution's demand to abolish supplementary investigative rights, saying, "If you get rid of the crocks just because you dislike maggots, is that really the solution? You have to do your utmost to prevent maggots from appearing in the first place." This indicates a more cautious stance on the prosecution reform bill being promoted by the Democratic Party of Korea. Unlike the ruling Democratic Party's position of "complete abolition," President Lee hinted at the possibility of retaining some supplementary investigative rights.

President Lee stated, "Issues such as supplementary investigations should also be approached from that perspective (not getting rid of the crocks)... We must ensure that investigations are not carried out poorly. While it is wrong to frame innocent people, it is also a problem if those who have committed crimes go unpunished and act with impunity," he pointed out.

President Lee's remarks are interpreted as being in line with the position of Minister of Justice Chung Sungho, who has advocated for retaining supplementary investigative rights, in contrast to the party's stance. Previously, during discussions on prosecution reform between the party and the government, Minister Chung voiced concerns about potential side effects such as poor investigations and argued for the "retention" of supplementary investigative rights, which led to opposition from the party, which is calling for their complete abolition.

Regarding concerns about poor investigations, which have been cited as a side effect of prosecution reform, President Lee said, "The issue of supplementary investigations should be addressed by finding ways to prevent the distortion of truth or the punishment of innocent people, and appropriate systems and mechanisms should be established accordingly." He especially emphasized, "The most important thing is to separate investigative and prosecutorial powers, which has already been done. Since a political decision has been made to entrust investigative authority to the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, the government must now take the lead in preparing mechanisms through thorough and objective review and debate to prevent poor investigations."