Acting Prosecutor General Resigns Abruptly; "Roundhouse Kick" Victim Also Speaks Out

[Anchor]

Immediately after the amendment to the Criminal Procedure Act passed the National Assembly, Acting Prosecutor General Koo Ja-hyun abruptly stepped down. While stating that he feels a deep sense of responsibility, he also criticized that the core essence of the prosecution system, which is to protect crime victims, must not be undermined.

Shin Yong-il has more.

[Reporter]

Acting Prosecutor General Koo Ja-hyun expressed his intent to resign as soon as the amendment to the Criminal Procedure Act passed the plenary session of the National Assembly.

[Koo Ja-hyun / Acting Prosecutor General: I also feel a deep sense of responsibility (for the passage of the Criminal Procedure Act amendment), and I have just submitted my resignation.]

Stating that introspection is necessary for the prosecution's failure to gain public trust, he nevertheless criticized the amendment.

[Koo Ja-hyun / Acting Prosecutor General: Even if institutional reorganization takes place (under the pretext of prosecution reform), the essence of the prosecution system—which is to discover substantive truth and protect victims—must not be compromised.]

He also repeatedly emphasized the problems with the amendment.

[Koo Ja-hyun / Acting Prosecutor General: We have consistently communicated concerns that (the amendment) forces prosecutors to rely solely on investigative records to decide on indictments, creating an inefficient structure that requires excessive time and cost.]

Following Justice Minister Chung Sung-ho's public expression of intent to resign, Acting Prosecutor General Koo—who has effectively served as the head of the prosecution—has now also announced his resignation. This has raised concerns that the Ministry of Justice and prosecution leadership may plunge into a virtual vacuum ahead of the launch of the Prosecution Service scheduled for October.

Backlash from crime victims, who have voiced opposition to the abolition of the prosecution's supplementary investigative powers, continues as well.

[Victim of the Busan Roundhouse Kick Incident (Interview immediately after the passage of the amendment): It is the state's job to ensure victims don't have to step forward themselves, but now it tells victims to bring issues to the public sphere and speak out if they feel wronged. What kind of country is this? In the end, it has become a country where offenders are happy.]

Within the legal community, growing voices of concern suggest that public faith in the very raison d'être of the criminal justice system—remediating crime victims and punishing offenders—may weaken.

(Camera: Yang Hyun-chul | Video Editing: Kim Ho-jin)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.