By Kim Tae-jong
Senior prosecutor Hong Man-pyo and four other prosecutors abruptly offered their resignation Wednesday in what is seen as a collective revolt against the move to give police greater rights to open criminal investigations.
Their resignations are expected to deepen the conflict between the prosecution and police over the controversial bill to allow the police partial rights to conduct independent probes.
Their move came just a day after the National Assembly Legislation and Judiciary Committee endorsed the bill after amending some articles in the original.
“I think it’s time to leave. My health has worsened,” Hong posted on an internal network for prosecutors. “I want the prosecution to maintain a cool-headed relationship with politics and a warm relationship with the police.”
It is uncertain whether Prosecutor General Kim Joon-gyu will accept his resignation, officials from the prosecution said.
Since last July, Hong, a senior prosecutor at the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office, has played an important role in the reform of the prosecution, representing prosecutors in the discussion with politicians and police.
He opposed the abolition of the prosecution’s elite investigation team and participated in the negotiations of the compromise to revise the Criminal Procedure Code.
Given his role, his resignation has a symbolic meaning which can lead prosecutors to unite and provide fresh leverage for them in their fight against recent decisions they are unsatisfied with.
His resignation coincided with the collective move by prosecutors against changes in the bill revising the Criminal Procedure Code.
Originally, the bill had articles more favorable to prosecutors, which drew strong opposition from the police.
It aims to make it possible for the police to open criminal investigations into suspects without supervision by the prosecution when there is hard evidence of a crime. Currently, only the prosecution has the mandate to open, supervise and complete probes and then indict suspects.
But it specifies the mandatory conditions, under which the prosecution will have overall control of “all investigations.” The police claim such conditions will only reinforce the prosecution’s supervisory rights.
Due to the strong opposition from police officers, some articles in the bill were changed at the last minute before it was submitted to a parliamentary plenary session.
The revised bill required a detailed presidential decree listing the prosecution’s right of control over police officers, not a list provided by the Ministry of Justice as it did originally. Prosecutors think the presidential decree will result in unfavorable conditions against them as it reflects the demands of the police.