Prosecution overhaul raises fears of drug probe gaps

The status of 1,582 cases referred by the Korea Customs Service to prosecutors remains unclear after the prosecution service was abolished in South Korea on Oct. 2. The cases include 1,123 drug cases, raising concerns that investigations into narcotics smuggling and illegal foreign exchange transactions could be disrupted. The overhaul divided prosecutorial and investigative functions between two new agencies, while police assumed a greater investigative role.

The Korea Customs Service referred 1,123 drug cases, 237 customs cases and 139 foreign exchange cases to prosecutors during the first eight months of the year.

The cases were disclosed by Rep. Lee Jong-wook of the People Power Party using data provided by the Korea Customs Service.

The Korea Customs Service said it had received no communication about whether the cases would be returned, investigated further or otherwise handled after the prosecution service was abolished.

The criminal justice reform ended the previous prosecution system’s 78-year history and removed prosecutors’ investigative powers.

Rep. Lee Jong-wook warned that delays could make it harder to secure evidence and trace criminal proceeds in drug smuggling and illegal foreign exchange investigations.

Published Oct 15, 2026 2:37 pm KST

Status of 1,582 cases referred by customs to prosecutors remains unclear

Korea Customs Service (KCS) officers screen express cargo for drugs with a detection dog at Incheon International Airport’s express cargo center, Sept. 3. Courtesy of KCS

The status of about 1,500 cases referred by the Korea Customs Service (KCS) to prosecutors remains unclear following a major overhaul of the criminal justice system that replaced the prosecution service with two new agencies , an opposition lawmaker said Thursday.

The uncertainty has raised concerns about disruptions to drug investigations, as narcotics offenses account for most of the cases.

Data the KCS provided to Rep. Lee Jong-wook of the main opposition People Power Party showed that customs officers with special investigative powers referred 1,582 cases to prosecutors in the first eight months of this year.

The breakdown included 1,123 drug cases, 237 customs cases and 139 foreign exchange cases.

The customs agency, however, has been unable to establish how those cases have been handled since the prosecution service was abolished on Oct. 2 and its duties were divided between two new agencies responsible for prosecutions and serious crime investigations.

“The restructured Prosecution Service was expected to return previously referred cases to customs, request further investigation or offer guidance on how to proceed, but we have received no communication on any of those steps,” the KCS said, according to Lee.

The uncertainty has prompted questions about whether the transition is leaving major investigations in limbo.

Lee warned that delays in investigating drug smuggling and illegal foreign exchange transactions could make it harder to secure evidence and trace criminal proceeds.

“People should not have to bear the costs of confusion and disruption stemming from the abolition of the prosecution service,” he said. “The government and the KCS must promptly determine where the cases have been transferred and how they are being handled, and put forward measures to ensure drug and foreign exchange investigations continue without interruption.”

Korea introduced the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency and reorganized the Prosecution Service, limiting the latter’s role to bringing charges and prosecuting cases in court.

The changes ended the previous prosecution system’s 78-year history in what was one of the country’s most extensive criminal justice overhauls in decades.

The reform followed longstanding criticism that prosecutors held excessive power by controlling both investigations and decisions on whether to bring charges.

Under the new system, prosecutors no longer have investigative powers, while police have assumed a greater role in criminal investigations.

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韩国检控部门于10月2日被撤销后，韩国海关移交检控部门的1582起案件的进展情况仍不明朗。这些案件中包括1123起毒品案件，引发了人们对毒品走私和非法外汇交易调查可能受到影响的担忧。此次改革将检控和侦查职能分别分配给两个新成立的机构，同时警察部门承担了更大的侦查职责。

今年前八个月，韩国海关将 1123 起毒品案件、237 起海关案件和 139 起外汇案件移送检察机关。

这些案件是由国民力量党议员李钟旭根据韩国海关提供的数据披露的。

韩国海关表示，在检察机关被撤销后，他们没有收到任何关于这些案件是否会被退回、进一步调查或以其他方式处理的通知。

刑事司法改革结束了之前检察制度78年的历史，并取消了检察官的调查权。

众议员李钟旭警告说，拖延可能会使毒品走私和非法外汇调查中获取证据和追踪犯罪所得变得更加困难。

发布于2026年10月15日下午2:37（韩国标准时间）

海关移交检察机关的1582起案件的进展情况仍不明朗。

9月3日，韩国海关官员在仁川国际机场快件中心使用缉毒犬对快件进行毒品筛查。图片由韩国海关提供。

一位反对派议员周四表示，韩国刑事司法系统进行重大改革，用两个新机构取代了检察机关，此后，韩国海关总署移交检察机关的约 1500 起案件的进展情况仍不明朗。

由于毒品犯罪占案件总数的绝大多数，这种不确定性引发了人们对毒品调查可能受到干扰的担忧。

韩国海关向主要反对党国民力量党议员李钟旭提供的数据显示，今年前八个月，拥有特别调查权的海关官员将 1582 起案件移交检察官。

细分案件包括 1123 起毒品案件、237 起海关案件和 139 起外汇案件。

然而，海关总署一直无法确定自 10 月 2 日检察机关被撤销，其职责被拆分为两个负责起诉和严重犯罪调查的新机构以来，这些案件是如何处理的。

据李先生称，韩国海关总署表示：“重组后的检控部门本应将之前移交海关的案件退回，要求进一步调查或就如何进行提供指导，但我们尚未收到任何关于这些步骤的沟通。”

这种不确定性引发了人们的疑问：过渡是否会导致重大调查陷入停滞？

李警告说，拖延调查毒品走私和非法外汇交易可能会使获取证据和追踪犯罪所得变得更加困难。

他说：“民众不应承担因撤销检察机关而造成的混乱和干扰所带来的损失。政府和肯尼亚刑事司法系统必须尽快查明案件已移交至何处以及处理方式，并提出措施确保毒品和外汇调查工作不间断地继续进行。”

韩国设立了重案调查院，并重组了检察机关，将检察机关的职能限制为提起诉讼和在法庭上起诉案件。

这些变革结束了原有检察系统 78 年的历史，这是该国几十年来最广泛的刑事司法改革之一。

这项改革源于长期以来对检察官权力过大的批评，他们认为检察官既控制着调查，又控制着是否提起诉讼的决定。

在新制度下，检察官不再拥有调查权，而警察在刑事调查中发挥了更大的作用。

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