Moon orders to overhaul prosecution, police

President Moon Jae-in speaks at the start of a meeting with the chiefs of the country's leading law enforcement agencies at Cheong Wa Dae, Friday. Yonhap

By Kim Yoo-chul

President Moon Jae-in has ordered a wide-scale overhaul of the country's powerful law enforcement agencies such as the police, prosecution and intelligence agencies as the country is asked to recover “democratic values.”

“My request is simple. This year should become the first year after the hidden shadows of rampant power abuse by powerful law enforcement agencies during and after the Japanese rule on the Korean Peninsula,” Moon said in a meeting with the chiefs of leading law enforcement agencies including the National Intelligence Service (NIS) at Cheong Wa Dae, Friday.

The President claimed that the prosecution and police were “partners” that supported and helped Japan's occupation of Korea, citing their apparent wrongdoings to prosecute and suppress independence activists.

“We have to make checks and balances happen between top law enforcement agencies as they have to exercise their given power, properly and wisely. The principle could also be applied to the presidential office and government agencies, if needed,” the President said.

Moon also urged the National Assembly to pass pending bills, most of which are related to the reformation of such law enforcement agencies, as quickly as possible to move forward with the initiative.

During his presidential election campaign, Moon committed to guaranteeing greater independence and transparency of the police, NIS and prosecutors' offices including a plan to separate the role the police and prosecution to prevent conflict during investigation processes.

The efforts, however, have been deadlocked, hit by heavy opposition from major opposition parties which claim that the separation, if realized, will lift the role of Cheong Wa Dae's civil rights affairs division.

“Citizens hope to see a nation with fair competition guaranteed, a country that doesn't allow even the smallest injustice in everyday life,” the President said at the meeting.

Those who attended the meeting were Justice Minister Park Sang-ki, who oversees prosecutors' offices, and Interior and Safety Minister Kim Boo-kyum, who is in charge of the national police.

Friday's meeting involved several officials from the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, including its floor leader, Hong Young-pyo, and Rep. In Jae-keun, chairperson of the National Assembly committee on public administration and security.