Ruling party hails end of prosecution agency after 78 years; PPP voices concerns over overhaul

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SEOUL, Oct. 2 (Yonhap) -- The ruling and main opposition parties differed Friday over the launch of two new agencies as part of the prosecution reform, with the ruling Democratic Party (DP) welcoming the overhaul and the opposition raising concerns that the agencies were launched without being fully prepared.

The prosecution office was abolished after 78 years as part of a reform drive aimed at stripping the prosecution of its investigative powers amid criticism that prosecutors have exercised excessive authority.

Two new agencies -- the Prosecution Office and the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency (SCIA) -- were launched earlier in the day, with the former only tasked with indicting and maintaining indictments against suspects. The SCIA will handle investigations into corruption, economic crimes and other serious crimes.

Lawmakers of the main opposition People Power Party hold a general meeting of its lawmakers in front of the newly launched Serious Crimes Investigation Agency in Seoul on Oct. 1, 2026, a day ahead of its launch. The establishment of the agency and the restructured Prosecution Service is part of the Lee Jae Myung administration's prosecution reform aimed at stripping the prosecution of investigative rights, tasking it with only indicting and maintaining indictments against suspects. (Yonhap)

"A new chapter in the history of the criminal justice system begins that will better protect the lives of the people and safeguard human rights," DP floor leader Han Byung-do, said during a meeting of the party's Supreme Council.

"What will disappear into history is the prosecution's unchecked power of holding both investigative and indictment rights, while the investigative function will remain fully intact," he added.

The main opposition People Power Party (PPP) raised concerns that victims could be left with fewer safeguards when police investigations are inadequate.

The police have come under growing scrutiny in recent months over their mishandling of several cases, including one involving a woman who went missing on the southern resort island of Jeju that was closed without confirming her safety.

The PPP also argued that the new agencies had been launched without being fully prepared to handle criminal cases, citing staffing shortages and a leadership vacuum.

"Prosecutors have undoubtedly made mistakes throughout the prosecution's 78-year history but is getting completely rid of the prosecution service really the answer?" PPP floor leader Jeong Jeom-sig said during a party meeting.

Rep. Park Choong-kwon, a senior PPP spokesperson, pointed out in a commentary that the SCIA had launched with only about 1,900 employees, or just 66 percent of the total workforce capacity of 2,874.

"Prosecutors have been stripped of their supplementary investigative rights even though the new system's basic framework is still incomplete," he said.

The SCIA began operations without a chief in place, with President Lee Jae Myung requesting a parliamentary confirmation hearing for Kim Ji-yong, his nominee to head the agency, earlier in the day.

julesyi@yna.co.kr (END)

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Ruling party hails end of prosecution agency after 78 years; PPP voices concerns over overhaul

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首尔，10月2日（韩联社）——执政党和主要反对党周五就检察改革中成立的两个新机构存在分歧。执政党共同民主党对此次改革表示欢迎，而反对党则表示担忧，认为这些机构的成立准备不足。

在检察官滥用职权、受到批评之际，检察机关在成立 78 年后被废除，这是旨在剥夺检察机关调查权的改革运动的一部分。

当天早些时候，两个新机构——检察机关和重案调查厅（SCIA）——正式成立。检察机关的职责仅限于对嫌疑人提起公诉并维持起诉书；而重案调查厅则将负责调查腐败、经济犯罪和其他严重犯罪案件。

2026年10月1日，在首尔新成立的重罪调查厅前一天，主要反对党国民力量党的议员们举行了全体议员大会。重罪调查厅的成立以及检察机关的重组，是李在明政府检察机关改革的一部分，旨在剥夺检察机关的调查权，使其仅负责对嫌疑人提起公诉并维持起诉。（韩联社）

“刑事司法系统的历史翻开了新的一页，这将更好地保护人民的生命，维护人权，”民主党党团主席韩炳道在党最高委员会会议上表示。

“将会消失在历史长河中的是检方不受制约的调查权和起诉权，而调查职能将完全保留，”他补充道。

主要反对党人民力量党（PPP）表示担忧，如果警方调查不充分，受害者可能会缺乏保障。

近几个月来，警方因处理多起案件不当而受到越来越多的审查，其中包括一名女子在济州岛南部度假胜地失踪，警方在未确认其安全的情况下关闭了该岛。

人民进步党还辩称，这些新机构成立时并未做好充分准备来处理刑事案件，理由是人员短缺和领导层真空。

“检察官在检察机关78年的历史中无疑犯过错误，但彻底废除检察机关真的是解决办法吗？”人民进步党党团主席郑严实在一次党内会议上说道。

PPP高级发言人朴忠权议员在一篇评论中指出，SCIA启动时只有约1900名员工，仅占总员工人数2874人的66%。

他说：“尽管新制度的基本框架尚未完善，但检察官的补充调查权已被剥夺。”

最高情报机构在没有局长的情况下开始运作，李在明总统当天早些时候要求国会对其提名的该机构负责人金智勇举行确认听证会。

julesyi@yna.co.kr (完)

（第三条）韩国推出缩减规模的检察机关和新的调查机构，进行重大改革

总统要求就新调查机构负责人提名人举行确认听证会

（新闻快讯）总统将要求对陷入困境的调查局局长提名人举行确认听证会

李呼吁进行警务改革，以根除掩盖真相和调查中的违规行为。

执政党对成立78年后检察机关的终结表示欢迎；人民进步党对改革表示担忧