"Taking a Closer Look at Inadequate Police Investigations"... Seoul Central District Public Prosecution Office Establishes Dedicated Unit for Non-Referral Cases

Nine experienced prosecutors assigned
Review over 40,000 cases a year
Reinvestigations sought in cases of inadequate police work
Police discipline and removal from duty also sought

The Seoul Central District Public Prosecution Office has established a department dedicated to reviewing cases that police have decided not to refer for prosecution and assigned nine experienced prosecutors to it. The move is intended to strengthen oversight of inadequate police investigations and expand remedies for crime victims.

Following prosecutorial reform under the Lee Jaemyung government, the signboard at the main entrance of the Seoul Central District Public Prosecution Office in Seocho-gu, Seoul, was replaced on Oct. 2, as the prosecution service, which held both investigative and indictment powers, closed after 78 years and the Public Prosecution Office and Serious Crimes Investigation Agency officially launched. 2026.10.2. Photo by Kang Jinhyung

The Seoul Central District Public Prosecution Office said on the 15th that it had established its First and Second Non-Referral Case Review Divisions as part of an organizational restructuring. Non-referral cases are cases in which police conclude their investigation without referring them for prosecution because they find no suspected crime. The new divisions have been staffed with three deputy chief prosecutors with investigative experience in areas including anti-corruption, tax, cybercrime and information technology crimes, as well as six prosecutors with at least 10 years of experience.

The Non-Referral Case Review Divisions will handle non-referral and suspended-investigation cases previously divided between the existing criminal divisions and the Major Economic Crime Investigation Unit. They will also process appeals filed by victims and others challenging police decisions not to refer cases.

According to the Seoul Central District Public Prosecution Office, a total of 59,224 non-referral and suspended-investigation cases were received in the year from September last year through August this year. Of these, 43,221 cases, or about 73% of the total, were handled by the existing criminal divisions and the Major Economic Crime Investigation Unit.

If the divisions find shortcomings in a police investigation or errors in the assessment of evidence or application of the law, they plan to request reinvestigation without any limit on the number of requests. If an adequate reinvestigation is unlikely, they will ask a higher-level police agency or another investigative body to conduct one. They also plan to seek the removal from duty and disciplinary action of police officers who fail to comply with a reinvestigation request without a valid reason, or who are found to have acted unlawfully or colluded with others.

The Non-Referral Case Review Divisions will also handle the review of warrant applications submitted by the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency. This work is being transferred from the existing Human Rights Protection Division so that warrants in major cases can be reviewed according to consistent standards. However, warrants requested by local police stations and those involving specialized areas such as sexual violence will continue to be handled by the existing departments with jurisdiction.

The Seoul Central District Public Prosecution Office said, "We will do our utmost to carefully review the legality and propriety of cases not referred for prosecution so that crime victims are not left feeling wronged because cases are buried or investigations are inadequate."

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