National Integration Committee Chair: "Complete Abolition of Prosecutors' Supplementary Investigative Authority Is Potentially Unconstitutional"

Lee Seok-yeon, Chairman of the National Integration Committee under the President, stated that the complete abolition of supplementary investigators in the prosecution would be unconstitutional.

Lee Seok-yeon, Chair of the National Integration Committee under the President, is announcing the results of the public perception survey on the five major social conflicts for national integration at the Seoul Government Complex in Jongno-gu, Seoul on February 11, 2026. Photo by Jo Yongjun

On July 12, through a post on Facebook, Chairman Lee remarked, "In order to uphold the spirit of the Constitution, the prosecutor's authority to conduct supplementary investigations must be recognized in some form."

He added, "Although the Constitution does not prohibit the abolition of the prosecution service or the redistribution of the prosecutor's authority, the complete deprivation of the prosecutor's investigative powers as an investigative subject is potentially unconstitutional, as it violates the principle of systematic legitimacy in the Constitution." He continued, "If one intends to eliminate these powers entirely, the Constitution must be amended to delegate the authority to request warrants to investigative agencies instead of prosecutors, as was the case in the first Constitution, or this must be delegated by law."

Chairman Lee also addressed the Democratic Party of Korea, stating, "If you are a responsible political party, you must not abandon the fundamental principles for the future of our community in the name of reform, just for the sake of immediate approval ratings or partisan interests."

He further emphasized, "Institutions themselves are neither good nor evil. Regardless of the system, the issue lies with those who operate it." He added, "I sincerely hope that the pressing issues causing deep national division in our society will be discussed and resolved in accordance with the Constitution and sound public common sense, based on legal stability and predictability."

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