Internal Backlash Against Prosecution Future Committee Fact-Finding Team... Supreme Prosecutors' Inspection Chief Raises "Fairness Concerns"

"Excluding Coordination with the Responsible Department Raises Questions on the Rule of Law"
"Concerns Over Possible Exclusion of the Inspection Department's Function"

A senior official at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, who oversees internal inspection work, has raised concerns about a potential conflict of duties related to the activities of the Fact-Finding Team of the Prosecution Human Rights and Future Committee.

On July 1, the Supreme Prosecutors' Office building, seen distorted through the sculpture at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office in Seocho-gu, Seoul, reflects the resignation announcement of Prosecutor General Sim Woo-jung after only nine months in office. The Special Investigation Team on the Rebellion plans to investigate Prosecutor General Sim Woo-jung for abuse of authority and other charges after he immediately withdrew the appeal following the cancellation of former President Yoon Seok-yeol's detention. 2025.07.01 Photo by Dongju Yoon

According to the legal community on July 2, Kim Seong-dong, head of the Inspection Department at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, posted on the internal network E-Pros the previous day, stating, "The activities and work of the fact-finding team appear to be related to the responsibilities of the Inspection Department," and added, "Excluding the direction and work coordination of the responsible department raises questions from the perspective of the rule of law."

Kim emphasized that investigations and handling of cases involving misconduct by prosecutors' office officials fall under the purview of the head of the Inspection Department. He stated, "Fact-finding investigations into cases where there are suspicions of human rights violations or abuse of authority by the prosecution, and thus require clarification, are the work of the head of the Inspection Department or the Human Rights Policy Officer," and added, "It is consistent with the constitutional principle of the rule of law for the work of the fact-finding team to be carried out under the direction and coordination of the responsible department."

Kim also pointed out that if the fact-finding team effectively replaces the related work without any objections to the work performance or requests for transfer of duties from the head of the Inspection Department or the Human Rights Policy Officer, it could constitute a violation of organizational regulations.

He continued, "I cannot help but be concerned that the formation of the fact-finding team, under the guise of a recommendation by the Future Committee, may have been intended to exclude the function of the Inspection Department of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office," and added, "There are also inevitable questions regarding the fairness of the team's formation and its investigation results." He further expressed, "I hope that the activities and procedures of the fact-finding team will be conducted in accordance with the principle of the rule of law."

The fact-finding team was established with the aim of uncovering the truth behind cases selected by the Prosecution Human Rights and Future Committee. The team is expected to look into seven cases involving alleged abuse of prosecutorial power, including the Ssangbangwool illegal remittance to North Korea case, the Daejang-dong case, the case of former Democratic Research Institute Deputy Director Kim Yong, the Wirye New Town case, and the shooting of a public official in the West Sea, which were selected as the first subjects for investigation by the Future Committee.

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