Kim Hyun-bin began his journalism career at Arirang TV from 2012 to 2017, specializing in defense, foreign affairs and the economy. In 2018, he joined The Korea Times, covering society and business, and is currently responsible for embassy affairs.
Supreme Prosecutors Office strongly opposes new prosecutorial reform bill
Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol heads to the cafeteria at the Supreme Prosecutors Office in Seoul, Thursday. The prosecution for the first time publicly voiced opposition to the prosecutorial reform bill. Yonhap
By Kim Hyun-bin
By Kim Hyun-bin
The prosecution has publicly voiced opposition against a move pushed by the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) and four minor parties to pass a prosecutorial reform bill that calls for establishing a new powerful investigative organization to oversee prosecutors' investigations into high-ranking government officials.
The Supreme Prosecutors' Office issued a statement, Thursday, voicing opposition to the bill, which aims to establish the so-called High-Ranking Officials' Corruption Investigation Agency.
The prosecution says the bill contains a “poisonous” clause that will weaken their investigative powers.
Once passed, the prosecution will have to report all its investigations regarding high-ranking officials to the new agency.
It is expressing concerns that its investigations could be leaked to Cheong Wa Dae and the ruling party if the agency is established next year.
"The High-Ranking Officials' Corruption Investigation Agency is a single anti-corruption organization. It is not supposed to become a control tower in investigations of ranking public officials," its statement said.
"The fact the prosecution has to disclose all information in the initial stages of investigations to the agency runs contrary to the principle of the government's organizational structure. There is no reason for the corruption investigation agency to receive case reports from prosecutors and police. The three organizations need to play their own roles within the boundary of the Constitution and laws.”
Sources say the prosecution's statement was released at the instruction of Prosecutor-General Yoon Seok-yeol.
They also raised concerns that the corruption investigation agency can emphasize or downplay corruption cases depending on the intentions of the President, Cheong Wa Dae or the ruling party.
Under the reform bill proposed by the ruling and four minor parties, the agency will be allowed to investigate all high-ranking government officials, including lawmakers, prosecutors and judges, on suspected corruption and election crimes.
The President will appoint the chief of the agency as well as the unit's prosecutors, who must serve as state prosecutors or lawyers for more than 10 years, which will be recommended by the agency chief.
The main opposition Liberty Korea Party has strongly opposed the prosecution reform bill, claiming the agency can abuse its power by selectively conducting investigations according to the will of the President and Cheong Wa Dae.
However, describing the claims as “groundless,” the opposition side argues they don't have any political intentions in establishing the agency.
The five parties, which together will have control of the Assembly, vowed to speedily pass the prosecution reform bill in the upcoming extra sessions.
The prosecutors' office was initially in favor of the prosecutorial reform until the controversial clause of the agency was inserted into the bill during last-minute negotiations among the five parties.