Moon urges completion of reforms of investigation agencies

Sep 22, 2020, 08:54 am

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President Moon Jae-in chairs a meeting on reforming South Korea’s powerful institutions at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul on Sept. 1, 2020./ Source: Yonhap News

AsiaToday reporter Lee Jang-won

President Moon Jae-in on Monday chaired a meeting on the reforms of the nation’s investigatory institutions – the prosecution, police and the National Intelligence Service (NIS) – and reaffirmed his willingness to establish a new state body to investigate corruption by high-ranking officials and to complete his drive to reform powerful institutions.

In the meeting attended by Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae, Interior and Safety Minister Chin Young and National Intelligence Service (NIS) chief Park Jie-won, the president urged them to swiftly implement reform initiatives. He also asked DP floor leader Rep. Kim Taenyeon and other ruling party lawmakers to cooperate with opposition parties on recommending candidates to lead the new agency.

“Now we will have to work harder to complete the remaining tasks,” Moon said. “The government must cooperate closely with the National Assembly on legislative issues and implement what has been legislated as soon as possible,” he added.

After the meeting, the NIS chief stressed that the spy agency will not meddle in domestic politics and that laws for preventing such actions will be put in place. “We will make it clear legally that the NIS will never get involved in domestic politics under any circumstances,” Park told reporters. “I will do my best to ensure that the reform bill on the NIS’ operation aiming at restricting the agency’s involvement in domestic politics and transferring its investigative authority on espionage cases to other investigative agencies will be approved at the National Assembly at an early date,” he added.

The police, who will be given primary authority to close cases due to the adjustment of the role and authority of the prosecution and police, will push to set up a new body that supervises the investigation department in order to enhance their investigation capabilities. They will also introduce qualification management system to educate investigators.

The autonomous police system will be changed into a model where the state and local governments cooperate over provincial and municipal police agencies. The authority to command and supervise autonomous police affairs will be given to the autonomous police committee in order to avoid concerns over collusion with local powers and to reduce financial burdens by minimizing the establishment of institutions and the number of new personnel. The government plans to step up efforts for swift approval of the related bill pending in the National Assembly.

Meanwhile, the meeting came amid controversies over allegations that the justice minister’s son had received unjust favors especially in connection with sick leave during his military service. Regarding prosecution reform, the justice minister promised to take the lead in reforming investigative authorities and make sure the power originating from the people work for the benefit of the people. “By overhauling the prosecution’s structure and working systems, we will make sure prosecutors do not engage in direct investigation, and work for public good to safeguard human rights, as well as the validity of investigations,” Choo said.

A Cheong Wa Dae official told reporters that Monday’s meeting had nothing to do with the justice minister’s scandal.

#Moon Jae-in #reform #police #prosecution #NIS