South Korea's new criminal justice system, which separates investigation and prosecution, officially began operations on October 2, marking the end of the 78-year-old prosecution system. The Major Crime Investigation Agency (MCIA) will handle investigations, while the Prosecution Service will manage prosecutions. However, the first day was chaotic due to technical issues and a flood of complaints.
The MCIA held its opening ceremony at 10 a.m. at the Renaissance Square in Jung-gu, Seoul. Key government officials, including Jeon Jong-min, acting head of the MCIA, Minister of the Interior and Safety Yoon Ho-joong, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Noh Kyung-pil, and members of the National Assembly attended the event.
In his speech, Minister Yoon emphasized that even with the separation of investigation and prosecution, accountability to the public must remain intact. He urged all agencies to work together seamlessly from the start to the finish of cases, stating, "The MCIA's mission is to protect the rights of the most vulnerable citizens."
Jeon Jong-min, the acting head of the MCIA, highlighted 'restraint' as the top principle of investigation. He noted, "When one agency holds both investigative and prosecutorial powers, it becomes difficult to self-regulate. Reform is achieved when power is divided and each entity exercises self-restraint." He expressed confidence that the agency would overcome initial challenges, drawing parallels to the successful opening of Incheon International Airport in 2001.
Jeon also urged staff to prioritize the needs of crime victims and vulnerable populations, maintain political neutrality and independence in investigations, perform duties fairly according to law and principles, develop high-level investigative expertise, and ensure the protection of human rights and due process.
The establishment of the MCIA is part of the prosecutorial reform promised by the administration of President Lee Jae-myung. The prosecution, which held unchecked power for 78 years, has now been restructured under the revised Criminal Procedure Act, with the Prosecution Service taking over prosecutorial powers and the MCIA assuming investigative authority.
The MCIA's investigative scope includes corruption, economic crimes, defense industry offenses, drug-related crimes, insurrection, foreign exchange violations, cybercrime, and legal distortion, as well as crimes committed by the Prosecution Service, police, and judicial officials. The agency launched with 1,900 staff members, accounting for 66.1% of its total capacity of 2,874. The Prosecution Service began operations with approximately 1,900 staff, reduced from the current total of 2,292.
However, the opening day was marked by significant confusion due to a surge in complaints and inadequate technical infrastructure. Before the ceremony even began, over ten complaints were filed, including requests for investigations into police misconduct, allegations of embezzlement against corporate executives, and foreign exchange violations involving the president and former defense minister. Due to the incomplete Criminal Justice Information System (KICS), complaints had to be filed manually, leading to further complications.
Additionally, the MCIA's sign was poorly affixed to the building, with parts falling off during the unveiling ceremony, prompting a request from the chair of the Legal Affairs Committee, Seo Young-kyo, for staff to secure the sign properly.
Conditions at local MCIA offices were even more challenging. In cities like Suwon, Daegu, Daejeon, and Busan, temporary office construction and furniture arrangements were incomplete, leaving investigators busy relocating and familiarizing themselves with their new workspaces. Many investigators had to quickly find nearby accommodations due to a lack of official residences and parking spaces. The absence of detention facilities within the agency required them to borrow space from nearby police stations, raising efficiency concerns.
Staff members also needed time to adjust to new titles, as they will now be referred to as 'investigators' instead of 'prosecutors.' This led to reminders among staff not to use the term 'prosecutor' when addressing each other. Investigators from the Seoul office, which covers a wide jurisdiction including Gangwon Province, have expressed concerns about travel burdens to their superiors.
In contrast, the Prosecution Service, which inherited existing prosecutor offices, experienced a relatively calm start. Unlike the high-profile MCIA opening, the Prosecution Service held a modest, closed ceremony attended only by staff at its headquarters (formerly the Supreme Prosecutors' Office).
While the Prosecution Service's technical systems were more stable than those of the MCIA, some public service operations were temporarily halted during the transition, causing inconvenience for visitors. Key officials from the Daegu MCIA and other major offices anticipate that the organization will stabilize by the end of the year once infrastructure and lower-level organization improvements are completed.
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.