S. Korea launches scaled-down prosecution, new investigation agency in major reform

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SEOUL, Oct. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea launched a prosecution service only tasked with indicting and a new investigation agency Friday in a major reform to the criminal justice system.

The Serious Crimes Investigation Agency (SCIA) and the restructured Prosecution Service will officially hold separate launch ceremonies later in the day, replacing the existing prosecutors' office after 78 years.

The move comes as part of a major reform to the prosecution, which has faced criticism over wielding excessive authority to conduct both investigations and indictments.

Under the reform, prosecutors will now only be tasked with indicting and maintaining indictments against suspects, while the SCIA will conduct investigations into corruption, defense industry crimes, insurrection and other serious crimes.

The sign for the restructured Prosecution Service (L) and the newly launched Serious Crimes Investigation Agency (Yonhap)

The reform, however, has faced pushback over concerns of handing excessive investigative powers to the police as prosecutors no longer have the authority to conduct supplementary investigations.

The police have faced intense public scrutiny in recent months over allegations of misconduct, including a missing person case on the southern resort island of Jeju that was closed without confirming the safety of the missing woman.

Critics have also raised questions about whether prosecutors can properly pursue indictments against criminal suspects without any investigative powers.

The two agencies were launched without chiefs at the helm. President Lee Jae Myung has requested a parliamentary confirmation hearing for his nominee for the inaugural SCIA chief, Kim Ji-yong.

The SCIA is also expected to face workforce shortages, with only about 1,900 employees at launch, about 66 percent of its authorized staffing level of 2,874.

yunhwanchae@yna.co.kr (END)

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S. Korea launches scaled-down prosecution, new investigation agency in major reform

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首尔，10 月 2 日（韩联社）——韩国周五启动了一项重大刑事司法改革，成立了专门负责起诉的检察机关和一个新的调查机构。

严重犯罪调查局（SCIA）和重组后的检察机关将于当天晚些时候分别举行正式的启动仪式，取代已有78年历史的检察机关。

此举是检控部门重大改革的一部分，该部门因滥用权力进行调查和起诉而受到批评。

根据这项改革，检察官现在只负责起诉和维持对嫌疑人的起诉，而最高刑事调查局将对腐败、国防工业犯罪、叛乱和其他严重犯罪进行调查。

重组后的检察机关（左）和新成立的重案调查厅的标志（韩联社）

然而，由于检察官不再有权进行补充调查，这项改革遭到了反对，因为人们担心这会赋予警方过多的调查权力。

近几个月来，警方因涉嫌不当行为而面临公众的强烈审视，其中包括济州岛南部度假胜地发生的一起失踪人口案件，该案在未确认失踪女子安全的情况下就被结案。

批评人士还质疑，检察官在没有任何调查权的情况下，是否能够对犯罪嫌疑人提起诉讼。

这两个机构成立之初都没有负责人。李在明总统已要求国会对其提名的首任最高情报局局长人选金智勇举行确认听证会。

SCIA预计也将面临劳动力短缺问题，在启动时只有约1900名员工，约占其授权员工人数2874人的66%。

yunhwanchae@yna.co.kr (完)

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