"What Happens to My Case?" Clients Anxious Amid Transition to Police and Prosecutors

Inquiries are flooding into law firms as the revision to the Criminal Procedure Act, which completely abolishes direct investigations by prosecutors, passed the Cabinet meeting today (August 4).

The revised act is set to take effect on October 2, leading to growing anxiety among clients who have entrusted their cases to law firms.

It is reported that parties involved in cases, including crime victims, are most curious about how the investigative authorities will change after the law takes effect and whether their investigations can be wrapped up before the implementation.

An attorney at one law firm said, "There are many inquiries regarding the revised Criminal Procedure Act, but because this is unprecedented, we are in a position where we cannot provide a definitive answer," adding, "Confusion is likely to continue for at least one to two years."

The revised Criminal Procedure Act abolishes the Prosecutors' Office and completely separates investigation from indictment. Prosecutors will no longer be able to conduct direct or supplementary investigations, leaving all cases to judicial police officers and the Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials.

Cases currently under investigation by prosecutors will also, in principle, be transferred to competent investigative agencies such as the police or the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency. However, for cases under prosecutorial investigation at the time of implementation where the statute of limitations is imminent or deemed unavoidable due to the nature of the case, the Prosecution Service may conclude the investigation within 90 days.

A lawyer formerly with the prosecution stated, "Requests for submitting written opinions or meeting with prosecutors from clients—particularly regarding cases the prosecution has investigated for a long time or those nearing the final stages—have noticeably doubled since June." They added, "These requests are made with the intent to have the cases concluded before the organizational restructuring."

The lawyer further pointed out, "Clients have deep concerns over whether they will have to restart their arguments and evidentiary proofs from scratch if their cases are transferred to other agencies, and whether it will become more difficult to persuade the investigative authorities."

(Reported by Kim Taewon | Video by Jang Yujin | Graphics by Yook Do-hyun | Produced by SBS Digital News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.