"You Two Get Along Well"... President Lee Urges Interior, Justice Ministers to Cooperate on Criminal Procedure Act Follow-Up Measures

President Lee Receives Briefing from Justice and Interior Ministries

Checks on Measures to Address Investigation Gaps and Victim Protection Following Abolition of Prosecutorial Investigation Authority

Directs: "Report in Advance on How to Ha

President Lee Jae-myung called on the Ministry of the Interior and Safety and the Ministry of Justice to work closely together in order to prevent investigative gaps that may arise following the revision of the Criminal Procedure Act, which abolished the prosecution's authority for direct and supplementary investigations. He repeatedly urged the two ministries to devise follow-up measures together to ease public anxiety and ensure that victim protection systems function properly as the investigative system is reorganized around the police and the Serious Crime Investigation Agency.

President Lee Jae-myung is speaking during the ministry briefing on the Ministry of Education, National Education Committee, Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, National Heritage Administration, and others held at the Blue House State Reception Hall on August 5, 2026. Photo by Yonhap News

During the ministry briefing on August 5 for the Ministry of the Interior and Safety and the Ministry of Justice, President Lee addressed Minister Yoon Hojung and Minister Jeong Seongho, saying, "You two are close, aren't you?" He added, "Please consult thoroughly. Every possible scenario must be anticipated and prepared for, down to a working-level basis." He stressed that the government must proactively identify and rectify any gaps that may arise in the process of changing the existing criminal justice system. In particular, President Lee's order is noteworthy in that, despite ongoing controversy over Minister Jeong's future, he indicated that he still intends to leave follow-up measures after the Criminal Procedure Act revision in Minister Jeong’s hands.

Following the previous day's Cabinet meeting, President Lee again highlighted public concerns over the expansion of police authority during the ministry briefing. He emphasized that once the prosecution's power of direct investigation and supplementary prosecution is abolished, the police will effectively have the authority to close cases, making it essential to strengthen investigative capabilities, fairness, and internal control systems in tandem.

President Lee stated, "The public is worried about whether the police have sufficient capacity to conduct investigations independently and perfectly, whether they’re trustworthy, and whether they are able to correct issues on their own if problems arise." He continued, "Although supplementary investigations by the prosecution don’t solve everything one hundred percent, with the disappearance of even that safeguard, public concern is growing," and added, "The real, valid concerns of the public must be addressed somehow."

President Lee also called for separate roles and responsibilities to be assigned to prevent the prosecution from only superficially reviewing records of cases the police chose not to refer for indictment. He stated, "Properly reviewing cases not forwarded by the police is an important part of the prosecution's responsibility to protect victims," adding, "If necessary, prosecution must thoroughly review to be able to request reinvestigation as appropriate."

The issue of how to operate the joint prosecution-police investigation teams under the revised Criminal Procedure Act was also a major agenda item. Currently, agencies such as the prosecution, the police, and financial authorities form joint investigation teams to address crimes such as drug offenses, voice phishing, and financial and securities crimes. However, with the abolition of the prosecution's direct investigative authority, prosecutors from the Public Prosecution Service will have difficulty participating directly in these joint teams, making it necessary to adjust the current practices to fit the new criminal justice system. President Lee instructed the ministries, "Please review and report in advance how the joint investigation teams should be handled."

Yoon Hojung, Minister of the Interior and Safety (left), and Jeong Seongho, Minister of Justice, are laughing at President Lee Jae-myung's remarks during the ministry briefing for the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, Ministry of Justice, and Prosecutor's Office held at the Blue House State Guesthouse on August 5, 2026. Photo by Yonhap News

On this day, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety and the Ministry of Justice agreed to develop measures that maintain the crime response capacity of relevant agencies without undermining the intent of the amended Criminal Procedure Act. Key follow-up discussions are expected to revolve around how to reflect the legal basis, the installation and operation of joint investigative teams, the roles of each agency, and the procedures for consultation and cooperation between investigation and prosecution agencies in statutes and investigative guidelines.

President Lee also noted that it is inevitable some trial and error will occur when fundamentally changing a criminal justice system that has been in place for decades. However, he emphasized that proactively identifying and preparing for foreseeable issues in advance can reduce the public inconvenience and social costs arising from institutional transition.

President Lee stated, "We are fundamentally replacing a system that has been in place for decades, so it is not possible to completely eliminate every issue and seamlessly transition to the new system." He continued, "There will be friction, and it will take time, effort, and adjustment costs." He also said, "We must try to bring up and prepare for as many potential issues as possible. Systems are never final with one attempt; if problems arise, we should look for new solutions and additional corrections."

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