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President Lee Jae Myung on Wednesday stressed the need to address public concerns over police investigative capabilities after a recent legal revision abolished prosecutors' authority to conduct investigations, leaving investigative authority solely with the police. Speaking during a policy briefing session with the justice and interior ministries and other government agencies, Lee acknowledged that as the police come to have the authority to finalize cases on their own, the public is worried about whether police capabilities are sufficient and trustworthy.

Coverage Comparison

Two reports from Yonhap News — English provide consistent coverage of the president's remarks and the surrounding context. Both accounts highlight Lee's emphasis on public concerns and the ruling Democratic Party's role in pushing for the revision. The second report adds comments from Justice Minister Jung Sung-ho, who elaborated on the potential consequences of the revision for case handling.

Key Claims

  • President Lee Jae Myung stressed the need to address public concerns over police's investigative capabilities after a recent legal revision abolished prosecutors' authority to conduct investigations.
  • A recent legal revision abolished prosecutors' authority to conduct investigations, leaving investigative authority solely with the police.
  • The revision was pushed by the ruling Democratic Party after prosecutors were accused of abusing their investigative powers and, at times, intervening in high-profile political cases.
  • Justice Minister Jung Sung-ho commented on the potential consequences of the revision, saying prosecutors may pay less attention to cases that police decide not to refer.
  • The public prosecution service, along with the serious crimes investigation agency, are set to be launched in October under a sweeping reform centered on stripping prosecutors of independent investigative powers.

Details

Lee's remarks came a day after the Cabinet, presided over by him, approved the promulgation of the revision to the Criminal Procedure Act, which passed through the National Assembly last week. The bill strips prosecutors of their authority to conduct direct investigations, including supplementary investigations, leaving investigative authority solely with the police. The revision was pushed by the ruling Democratic Party after prosecutors were accused of abusing their investigative powers and, at times, intervening in high-profile political cases.

The revision also raised public concerns that exclusive police investigative powers could undermine the overall quality of investigations. Lee acknowledged these concerns, stating, "The situation would not be resolved 100 percent if prosecutors retain their existing (authority to) conduct supplementary investigations, but removing it is increasing the concerns." He also checked whether proper measures are being prepared to address such public concerns.

Justice Minister Jung Sung-ho echoed the concerns during the meeting, saying prosecutors may pay less attention to cases that police decide not to refer even after police records of such cases are forwarded to the public prosecution service. "Even if police forward non-referral cases, they are not cases assigned (to the prosecutors)," he said, stressing that they will have little involvement.

Context

The public prosecution service, along with the serious crimes investigation agency, are set to be launched in October under a sweeping reform centered on stripping prosecutors of independent investigative powers. This reform represents a significant shift in South Korea's criminal justice system, transferring primary investigative authority from prosecutors to the police.