Acting Prosecutor General Expresses Deep Concern Over Criminal Procedure Act Amendment... "No Citizen Should Suffer Injustice"

"Must Be Carried Out to Protect the People"

Gu Jahyun, Acting Prosecutor General, expressed concerns that discussions regarding amendments to the Criminal Procedure Act, which focus on abolishing the prosecution’s supplementary investigation authority, should proceed in a way that protects the public.

Koo Jahyun, Acting Prosecutor General. Photo by Yonhap News

In a statement released on July 29, Acting Prosecutor General Gu stated, “As Acting Prosecutor General, I feel a heavy sense of responsibility regarding the content and direction of the Criminal Procedure Act amendment discussions.”

He went on to say, “As has been confirmed in a number of recent cases, if the prosecutor's effective role of reviewing, supplementing, and correcting investigations by the primary investigative agencies disappears, the truth will be concealed, and the criminal justice system in South Korea will collapse. Ultimately, the harm from this will fall on the citizens who need the protection of the state.”

He also emphasized that many members of the public believe supplementary investigation authority is necessary. “Various sectors of society, including the legal community and women’s and victim support organizations, have consistently expressed concerns. This demonstrates that reforming the system—according to the public’s expectations—does not simply mean eliminating prosecutorial powers, but rather ensuring that reforms are carried out in a way that protects the people from crime,” he added.

He continued, “I believe the National Assembly is also well aware of these points. I ask that, during the deliberation process—such as in the full session of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee—all citizens are robustly protected by the law, and that there are no citizens left to suffer injustice.”

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