Transition Team "Reported Opinion That Police Should Increase Direct Supplementary Investigations by Prosecutors"

by Yoo Byeongdon

Published 18 Apr.2022 15:17(KST)

National Police Agency Work Report Includes Plan to Establish 'Prosecutor-Police Joint Investigation Stage Responsible Investigation System'

Cha Seung-hoon, Deputy Spokesperson of the Presidential Transition Committee, is giving a briefing on current issues at the 20th Presidential Transition Committee in Tongui-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul on the 8th. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo Byung-don] The Presidential Transition Committee (PTC) announced on the 18th that "the National Police Agency reported during a work briefing that the proportion of prosecutors conducting direct supplementary investigations should be increased."

Cha Seung-hoon, deputy spokesperson of the PTC, held a briefing at the PTC office in Tongui-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, and said, "The National Police Agency reported on the 'Establishment of a Responsible Investigation System at the Police and Prosecutor Investigation Stage' during the work briefing."

Deputy spokesperson Cha explained, "The police reported that since the purpose of cases sent for prosecution is to file and maintain charges, supplementary investigations should be conducted under the responsibility of prosecutors to enable prompt and efficient handling. They suggested expanding the proportion of cases where prosecutors conduct direct supplementary investigations compared to the current level, and emphasized the need to clarify the responsibilities between the police and prosecutors when the prosecution requests supplementary investigations from the police."

He added, "There was an opinion that it is preferable for the prosecutor in charge of the case to handle it directly, rather than going through requests and responses between the police and prosecutors, in cases where direct handling by the prosecutor is faster and more efficient."

Regarding this, the PTC stated, "We requested that a proper investigation system be established through institutional improvements to prevent delays in investigations, inadequate investigations, and other harms to the public, in line with the president-elect’s campaign promise to establish a responsible investigation system."