Park Beom-gye and Kim Oh-soo 'Emergency Meeting'... Kim Mentions Issues with 'Geomsu Wanbak' Problem

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[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Kyung-jun] Minister of Justice Park Beom-gye and Prosecutor General Kim Oh-soo held an emergency meeting regarding the so-called ‘Geomsu Wanbak (Complete Removal of Prosecutorial Investigation Authority)’ bill being pushed by the Democratic Party of Korea.

Minister Park and Prosecutor General Kim met for about an hour on the morning of the 12th at an undisclosed location to discuss the Geomsu Wanbak bill and other current issues.

This meeting was arranged at the request of Prosecutor General Kim, who reportedly explained the prosecution’s position well and discussed the current issues during the meeting.

After meeting Minister Park, Kim returned to the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office and told reporters, "I spoke about the current issues and also had things to say to the Minister," adding, "I pointed out problems regarding the complete abolition of prosecutorial investigation functions being pursued by the political circles." However, Kim refrained from disclosing specific details of the conversation or Minister Park’s reactions.

The Democratic Party of Korea will hold a policy meeting at 2 p.m. that day to finalize discussions on the Geomsu Wanbak bill and other prosecution reform legislation, as well as the timing of their passage.

On the previous day, Prosecutor General Kim took a strong stance, stating he would resign if the Geomsu Wanbak bill passes. He said, "If the prosecutorial investigation function is abolished, there is no longer any meaning for me, as Prosecutor General, to perform my duties," adding, "I will not cling to my position and will take any responsibility."

Earlier, on the 8th, the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office officially opposed the Geomsu Wanbak bill, stating, "Preventing prosecutors from directly verifying facts changes the criminal justice procedure that has been in place for over 70 years overnight," and "It will cause severe confusion, increase public inconvenience, weaken the nation’s capacity to respond to serious crimes, and is unprecedented in advanced legal systems."

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