A flag of the South Korean prosecution service. Photo by Asia Today
July 9 (Asia Today) -- Legal experts are raising concerns that South Korea is rushing to launch a new Major Crimes Investigation Agency in October before the institution's basic design has been completed.
Critics say the agency's launch is being pushed forward even though key issues remain unresolved, including whether a planned Public Prosecution Office will retain supplementary investigation authority. They also point to uncertainty over personnel, organizational structure and budget, saying a normal launch may be difficult.
Jung Ji-woong, a lawyer who served as an advisory member of the prosecution reform task force, said the government decided to abolish the Prosecutors' Office and create the Public Prosecution Office and Major Crimes Investigation Agency through a revision to the Government Organization Act, but did so without a clear plan for how the new bodies would operate.
"At the time, there was no design at all for how the organizations would operate, how personnel would be assigned or what functions they would perform," Jung said. "The idea of changing a system directly tied to public safety, such as the national criminal justice system, within a year without sufficient design and verification is itself a problem."
