Serious Crime Investigation Agency Opens Without Chief: "Restraint as Top Priority"

[Anchor]

The Serious Crime Investigation Agency, a symbol of prosecutorial reform separating investigation and indictment, held its opening ceremony today (the 2nd) and officially launched. Amid an unsettled atmosphere of a leadership vacuum, the agency's deputy chief, who is second-in-command, emphasized that restrained investigations will be its top priority.

Reporter Shin Yong-il has the details.

[Reporter]

The opening ceremony took place this morning at the Serious Crime Investigation Agency building in Jung-gu, Seoul.

It officially launched about six months after the Serious Crime Investigation Agency Act passed last March as part of the prosecution reform under the Lee Jae-myung administration.

All investigative functions of the existing prosecution have been transferred to the agency.

Organized under the Ministry of the Interior and Safety rather than the Ministry of Justice, the agency will exclusively handle investigations into seven major crimes, including corruption, economic crimes, and defense acquisition, while also taking charge of supplementary investigations into crimes targeting socially vulnerable groups.

[Yun Ho-jung / Minister of the Interior and Safety: Even if investigation and indictment are separated, we must not divide our responsibility for the public.]

With the head of the agency not yet appointed, the deputy chief stood at the podium to emphasize strict responses to major crimes while stating that restrained investigations will be the utmost priority.

[Jeon Jong-min / Deputy Chief of the Serious Crime Investigation Agency: The Serious Crime Investigation Agency will establish restraint as its primary principle. We will be an investigative agency that is resolute in the face of serious crimes, and infinitely cautious before the freedom and rights of the people.]

On its very first day of launch, more than ten complaints and accusations were filed even before the opening ceremony concluded, including a complaint regarding the crime of judicial distortion against frontline police officers as the agency's first case.

However, as the launch proceeded hastily without sufficient preparation time, public inconvenience and damage are inevitable until basic infrastructure, including computer networks, basic furniture, and facilities, is fully established.

(Camera: Kang Si-woo | Video Editing: Yu Mi-ra | Design: Seo Seung-hyun)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.