Acting Prosecutor General Resigns Abruptly... "Essence of Prosecution System Must Not Be Undermined"

[Anchor]

Right after the amendment to the Criminal Procedure Act passed the plenary session of the National Assembly, Acting Prosecutor General Koo Ja-hyun, who serves as the head of the prosecution, abruptly resigned. While emphasizing the need for self-reflection within the prosecution, he repeatedly highlighted problems with the new amendment, as backlash from crime victims continues to grow.

Reporter Shin Yong-il has the details.

[Reporter]

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

[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.]

While noting that the prosecution needs self-reflection for failing to gain public trust, he also criticized the amendment.

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

He also repeatedly underscored the problems of the amendment.

[Koo Ja-hyun / Acting Prosecutor General: We have continuously conveyed our concerns that (the amendment) forces prosecutors to decide on indictment solely relying on investigative records, resulting in an inefficient structure that incurs massive time and costs.]

Following Minister of Justice Chung Sung-ho's public expression of his intention to resign, Acting Chief Koo, who effectively served as the head of the prosecution, has now announced his resignation. This has sparked concerns that the Ministry of Justice and prosecution leadership could fall into a vacuum ahead of the launch of the Prosecution Service scheduled for October.

Backlash also continues from crime victims who have opposed the abolition of the prosecution's supplementary investigation rights.

[Victim of the Busan Roundhouse Kick Case (Interviewed immediately after the passage of the amendment): It is the state's duty to prevent victims from having to step up themselves, but now the state is telling victims to bring issues to the public sphere and speak up if they have grievances. What kind of country is this? It has ultimately become a paradise for offenders.]

Within the legal community, growing concerns are being raised that public trust in the fundamental purpose of the criminal justice system—remediating crime victims and punishing offenders—may weaken.

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