Prosecution Service Holds Private Opening Ceremony Amid Confusion on Day One

[Anchor]

The Prosecution Service, newly tasked with indictments and maintaining public prosecutions previously handled by the prosecution, quietly opened its doors with a closed-door opening ceremony. On its first day of launch, confusion ensued in various places, including trials being suspended due to issues regarding the dispatch of Prosecution Service prosecutors to a special counsel and disruptions in handling civil petitions.

Reporter Jeon Yeonnam has the details.

[Reporter]

A notice for the opening ceremony was posted in the lobby on the first floor of the Prosecution Service headquarters, which used to be the Supreme Prosecutors' Office.

Unlike the bustling opening ceremony of the Serious Crime Investigation Agency, the Prosecution Service held its opening ceremony privately in a relatively calm atmosphere.

It was reported that no external guests attended, with only some senior officials from the Prosecution Service and the Ministry of Justice present.

As the inaugural head of the Prosecution Service is currently vacant, Acting Prosecutor General Lee Jung-hyun only released a written statement following the opening ceremony.

In the statement, Acting Prosecutor General Lee stated, "We must prove the reason for the Prosecution Service's existence to the public once again and work to restore trust."

He also emphasized, "Protecting the socially vulnerable and safeguarding the basic rights and human rights of the citizens are the reasons for our existence that must not change, even if the name of the agency changes."

With the Serious Crime Investigation Agency taking over the existing investigative functions of the prosecution, the Prosecution Service is solely responsible for indictments. However, confusion arose in various areas from the very first day of its launch.

The trial related to the special preferential treatment allegations regarding the relocation of the presidential residence under the Yoon Suk Yeol administration was derailed just 12 minutes after it began. The bench suspended the trial, pointing out that "there are no regulations on whether the dispatch of prosecutors belonging to the newly launched Prosecution Service to the special counsel is valid."

Civil petition processing also experienced disruptions as the transition of the prosecution's work systems was delayed in conjunction with the transfer of investigative functions.

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As the criminal justice system has undergone a major transformation for the first time in 78 years due to the separation of investigation and indictment, confusion in the early stages of its launch is expected to continue for a while.
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.