▲ Prosecutors' Office
Ahead of the transition to the public prosecution office system in October, prosecutors are launching a pilot program involving suspect consultations instead of interrogations at frontline offices, alongside actively requesting supplementary investigations from the police.
The Supreme Prosecutors' Office announced plans to conduct a four-week "pilot implementation before the enforcement of the revised Criminal Procedure Act" starting on the 18th and running through September 11 at four total locations: the Seoul Northern District Prosecutors' Office, Daegu Seobu Branch Prosecutors' Office, Masan Branch Prosecutors' Office, and Nonsan Branch Prosecutors' Office.
By selecting one district prosecutors' office, one branch office with deputy chief prosecutors, one branch office with senior prosecutors, and one branch office without senior prosecutors, the agency aims to identify potential issues that could arise under the revised criminal procedure system and formulate countermeasures.
However, as the law has not yet taken effect, the plan is to implement the changes focusing on general criminal divisions within limits that do not conflict with the current system.
Prosecutors' offices participating in the pilot will conduct consultations instead of interrogations for suspects and witnesses, replacing formal interrogation records with consultation result reports.
Pre- and post-arrest warrants, as well as search and seizure warrants, will be actively assigned to respective prosecution rooms. In major arrest warrant cases, prosecutors are instructed to directly consult with suspects or request judicial police officers to submit their opinions.
Direct and supplementary investigations by prosecutors will be minimized as much as possible unless deemed strictly necessary for major cases.
Investigations into detained cases will also be conducted through consultations rather than suspect interrogations, and replaced with factual confirmation reports.
If a victim explicitly requests a supplementary investigation by the prosecution, or if it is determined that a direct supplementary investigation by a prosecutor is necessary due to the nature of the case—such as sexual assault or child abuse—the matter will be reviewed accordingly.
Plans are also in place to actively utilize requests for supplementary investigations to the police.
Even for minor matters, supplementary investigations can be requested from the police within a one-month period when necessary, and if not properly fulfilled, requests for exclusion from duties or disciplinary action may be made.
Furthermore, if collateral crimes such as false accusations or perjury are identified during the review of transferred cases, an official request for investigation will be sent to the jurisdiction police station.
The pilot offices will also test workflow improvement measures in preparation for workforce reductions following the institutional reorganization.
Cases will be actively assigned to acting prosecutor offices as well. When necessary, senior prosecutors will request supplementary investigations under their names and reassign them to acting prosecutor offices for processing.
Case assignments for senior prosecutors in the Major Economic Crime Investigation Unit will also be expanded to the same level as general prosecution rooms, with delegation of authority granted to the maximum extent possible.
If pilot offices propose their own workflow improvements, pilot implementation of those measures will also be possible. The Supreme Prosecutors' Office plans to address issues discovered during the pilot operation and commend outstanding pilot offices.
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