PM Han Seong-sook: "Prosecution Reform in Final Stages... PM's Office to Create Police Reform Committee and Task Force"

Prime Minister Han Seong-sook announced today (September 22), "The government will establish a police reform committee and a (police reform) task force under the Prime Minister's Office to establish a responsible and fair public safety system."

Prime Minister Han made the remarks during her opening statement at a Cabinet meeting held at the Government Complex Sejong today.

She explained, "Prosecution reform for the people is in its final stages," adding, "When the Serious Crime Investigation Agency and the Prosecution Service Office are launched on October 2, the criminal justice system will undergo a major overhaul for the first time in 78 years."

She continued, "The separation of investigation and indictment, the grand principle of prosecution reform, must solely serve to robustly protect the rights and interests of the people," emphasizing, "While abuse of authority will be prevented by separating powers, we will dedicate ourselves further to protecting human rights and victims through organic cooperation among agencies."

She added, "Under the new system, the role and responsibility of the police are exceedingly important," promising, "We will ensure that the police restore public trust and are reborn as a police force for the people."

Han urged, "I ask relevant ministries, including the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, to support the early stabilization of the newly established system so that not even the slightest gap occurs in protecting public rights and interests, and to pool their strength and wisdom for police reform measures."

At today's meeting, the government discussed plans to pursue public deliberation on nuclear power.

Han explained, "Securing energy has become a barometer of our industrial competitiveness due to surging electricity demand driven by the proliferation of AI (artificial intelligence) and the nurturing of advanced industries," adding, "To build a stable energy supply system, the government is devising various measures for the efficient use of nuclear power plants, as well as the expansion of renewable energy."

She added, "The government will gather public consensus on nuclear power policy through a transparent and fair public deliberation process."

Accordingly, the government plans to form a nuclear power public deliberation committee for the basic plan for electricity supply and demand and carry out public deliberation procedures for about three months.

Regarding President Lee Jae-myung's overseas trip to the United States and Mexico, Han introduced, "Through summit meetings with major countries at the UN General Assembly, he will broaden our diplomatic horizons, and in Mexico, discuss directions for a forward-looking leap in bilateral relations, including cultural exchange and cooperation in advanced industries."

She continued, "Agreements and trust-building between leaders through this trip will lead to new opportunities for our companies to expand abroad, connecting directly to creating jobs for the people and improving the quality of life," calling on relevant ministries to pursue follow-up measures.

Ahead of the Chuseok holiday, Han said, "I express my deep gratitude to the people who have done their best and worked hard in their respective places," promising, "The government will do its utmost, by operating sector-by-sector situation rooms even during the holiday, to ensure that the public experiences no inconvenience in daily life, including transportation, public order, and healthcare."

The government also plans to conduct a full inspection of 8,000 high-risk workplaces concerning unpaid wages before Chuseok and provide emergency livelihood support for workers.

Meanwhile, the government also discussed safety management measures today for crowded areas during autumn, such as train stations and airports during the Chuseok holiday, and Itaewon and Hongdae during the Halloween period.

Han said, "There are 50 key management target locations for heavy crowds in the autumn. Many festivals are held from September to November, and the anticipated gathering sizes are also very large," adding, "There are very many matters in autumn that the Ministry of the Interior and Safety and local governments must share information on and intensively monitor."

(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.