Prosecution Service Office Act Limiting Prosecutors’ Authority Passes Under Ruling Party’s Lead

Yonhap News Agency

The bill to establish the Prosecution Service Office, which abolishes the prosecution’s right to direct and supervise special judicial police officers and legally restricts the scope of prosecutors’ duties, passed the first subcommittee for bill review under the National Assembly’s Legislation and Judiciary Committee on March 17, 2026.

The subcommittee held a meeting at the National Assembly that afternoon, and the Prosecution Service Office Act—centered on these provisions—was approved under the leadership of the Democratic Party of Korea and other opposition parties with a pro-government stance. The People Power Party opposed the bill and did not participate in the vote.

According to the Prosecution Service Office Act, as passed by the subcommittee, the agency will be responsible solely for prosecution, in accordance with the principle of separating investigation and prosecution. It will operate under a three-tier system: the Prosecution Service Office, the Metropolitan Prosecution Service Office, and the Local Prosecution Service Office. The Prosecution Service Office will correspond to the Supreme Court, the Metropolitan Prosecution Service Office will correspond to the High Courts, and the Local Prosecution Service Office will correspond to the District Courts and Family Courts, with each being established in these respective jurisdictions.

The duties of prosecutors within the Prosecution Service Office will include: ▲ making decisions on whether to initiate prosecutions and all matters necessary for maintaining them; ▲ handling matters related to warrant requests; ▲ consulting and supporting judicial police officers involved in criminal investigations; ▲ requesting the proper application of laws to the courts; ▲ overseeing and supervising the execution of court judgments; ▲ managing, leading, or supervising litigation and administrative lawsuits in which the state is a party or participant; and ▲ recovery of criminal proceeds, international criminal judicial cooperation, among other responsibilities.

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