National Innovation Party: "Reviving Universal Case Transfer Is a Step Backward for Prosecution Reform"

National Situation Room for "Completing Prosecution Reform" Established
Cho Kuk Appointed as Head of Innovation Policy Research Institute

Shin Jangsik, the new leader of the Democratic Innovation Party, emphasized the need to complete prosecutorial reform during his first official schedule after taking office on the 27th. He strongly criticized moves within the Democratic Party of Korea to revive the so-called "full transfer system" (Jeongeon Songchi).

Shin Jangsik, the new leader of the Democratic Innovation Party, is guarding the "Prosecutorial Reform Completion National Situation Room" set up on the stairs of the Rotunda Hall at the National Assembly on the 27th. Photo by Yonhap News

On the morning of July 27, at the stairs of the Rotunda Hall in the main building of the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, Leader Shin presided over the Supreme Council meeting and stated, "Not only President Lee Jaemyung but also former Prime Minister Kim Minseok and Han Byungdo, acting chairman and floor leader of the Democratic Party, all said with one voice that the separation of investigation and indictment is the principle of prosecutorial reform. Therefore, that is the course we must follow."

He remarked, "However, wrongly, demands for the revival of the 'Jeongeon Songchi System' have suddenly emerged." He pointed out, "To get to the point, it is a regressive proposal that reverses the prosecutorial reforms of the Moon Jae-in administration, making the system even worse."

The "full transfer system" refers to the policy of requiring the police to refer all cases they investigate to the prosecution. Shin pointed out, "Although transferring all police-investigated cases to the prosecution may appear insignificant, in the end, it means that the prosecution obtains the sole power to conclude investigations of all cases."

He added, "If the prosecution judges someone guilty, the police will have no choice but to conduct token investigations. Every year, out of 1.5 million criminal cases, less than half are currently referred to the prosecution. If all cases are transferred, the prosecution organization would have to remain as it is or even be expanded."

As his first official act as party leader on this day, Shin set up a "Prosecutorial Reform Completion Situation Room" at the bottom of the stairs of the main Rotunda Hall in the National Assembly. This is part of his plan to closely monitor the possibility of restoring prosecutorial investigative authority during the ruling party's push to amend the Criminal Procedure Act. Shin said, "From the situation room, we will keep a sharp and vigilant eye, as the public would, to monitor whether provisions granting investigative authority to the prosecution are quietly being inserted in the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, or if a strange amendment is presented at the plenary session to undermine prosecutorial reform. The Democratic Innovation Party will continue to present true reform proposals in our name," he said, stressing, "Rather than being a mere commentator, I will act as a facilitator and finisher of prosecutorial reform."

Meanwhile, on this day, Shin appointed former party leader Cho Kuk as the head of the party's think tank, the Innovation Policy Research Institute. According to the Innovation Party, former leader Cho will take charge of designing and developing concrete policy alternatives as the head of the institute. The party is expected to strengthen its mid- to long-term vision and solidify its orientation under his guidance.

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