Hong Joon-pyo: "Prosecutors' Investigative Authority Lost Because of Yoon Suk-yeol and Han Dong-hoon... Truly Heartbreaking"

Criminal Procedure Act to Take Effect on October 2
Ending 78 Years of Prosecution-Led Investigative System

Hong Joon-pyo, former Mayor of Daegu, criticized prosecutors, claiming that even after the prosecution organization was dismantled and its investigative authority was seized, prosecutors have remained silent, saying, "They look truly cowardly and pathetic."

Hong Joonpyo, former Mayor of Daegu. The Asia Business Daily DB.

On August 9, through his Facebook page, Hong stated, "During my 11 years as a prosecutor, I was taught that 'prosecutors live by justice and die by justice.'"

He recalled, "In my fourth year as a prosecutor, while at the Southern District Prosecutors' Office, I initiated the investigation into the Noryangjin Fish Market takeover case, which was the most successful case related to the Fifth Republic’s corruption scandals. Despite the persistent interference by the Prosecutor General to block the investigation, I managed alone to investigate Jeon Ki-hwan, brother of former President Chun Doo-hwan, Chief Presidential Secretary for Civil Affairs Lee Hak-bong, Seoul Mayor Kim Seong-bae, Judge Son Mo, and others. At that time, I slept just three hours a day and struggled for two months in Room 104 of the Southern District Office."

He continued, "When I indicted Jeon Ki-hwan and was investigating the corruption of those holding real power behind the scenes, the confrontation between the Prosecutor General and regular prosecutors was exposed by the media, leading to the resignation of the Prosecutor General. As soon as his successor took over, I was expelled from the Special Investigation Unit and the case was taken over by the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, where it ended with a scaled-down investigation. After that, I was labeled as an uncontrollable prosecutor and was relegated to the Gwangju District Prosecutors' Office. I was never allowed near the Special Investigation Unit again, and instead continued my career as a prosecutor handling serious crimes and drug investigations."

He added, "After eradicating organized crime in Gwangju and returning to the Serious Crimes Division at the Seoul Prosecutors' Office, I wrapped up my prosecutor career with the final investigation into the slot machine case. It was an 11-year, blazing career as a prosecutor devoted to the pursuit of justice."

Hong went on to say, "Most prosecutors live such lives, but because of political prosecutors like Yoon Suk-yeol and Han Dong-hoon, the prosecution organization with an 80-year tradition has been dismantled, and even its investigative authority has been taken away. Despite this, prosecutors who remain silent look truly cowardly and pathetic."

He further remarked, "'Ohotongjae (啦唔痛咖)' is an exclamation that truly fits this moment, and said, "It truly breaks my heart."

Meanwhile, starting October 2, a criminal procedure law that completely abolishes prosecutorial investigative authority will go into effect, bringing an end to the prosecution-led investigative system that has lasted for 78 years. With just about two months left before the law is implemented, police are accelerating final preparations to establish the new criminal justice system. However, with prosecutorial supplementary investigations disappearing, the police now have to bear the entire responsibility for the completeness and accountability of cases from beginning to end, raising concerns at the front lines that "responsibility has grown larger than authority."

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