Top prosecutor again blasts DP s plan for new investigative agency – The Korea Times koreatimesus.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from koreatimesus.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Posted : 2021-03-02 16:24
Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol / Korea Times file
Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol strongly criticized a recent move by the ruling party to create another state investigative agency to limit the power of the prosecution service. Taking investigative power away from the prosecution amounts to regression of democracy and destruction of the spirits of the Constitution, the top prosecutor said in an interview with Kookmin Daily published Tuesday. I am willing to stake my position for the 100th time if I could stop it, he said.
The ruling Democratic Party (DP) is seeking to establish yet another agency tasked with investigating six types of serious crimes, including abuse of power and corruption, under the Ministry of Justice, which will strip the prosecution service of investigative power into those crimes and leave it only with the power to prosecute.
Time to change policy
Cabinet reshuffle is necessary, but not enough
President Moon Jae-in nominated a three-term ruling party lawmaker as new justice minister in a small-scale Cabinet reshuffle Wednesday. He also nominated a former judge as the inaugural head of a newly established anti-corruption investigative body. These nominations represent Moon s strong determination to complete his much-avowed prosecutorial reform.
Since his May 2017 inauguration, Moon has vowed to reform the prosecution to prevent its abuse of power. As part of the reform, the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) will make its official debut in mid-January as an independent body separate from the prosecution. Moon chose Kim Jin-wook, now serving as a Constitutional Court researcher, to lead the CIO.
[Editorial] Twilight of presidency koreaherald.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from koreaherald.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.