A proposal has emerged to establish a presidential committee to objectively evaluate the implementation of prosecutorial reforms ahead of the launch of the Public Prosecution Service and the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency.
Park Chan-woon, a professor at Hanyang University Law School and former chair of the advisory committee for the Prosecutorial Reform Promotion Team under the Prime Minister's Office, suggested the creation of a 'Presidential Committee for Prosecutorial Reform Evaluation' on Facebook on September 21.
"With the launch of the Public Prosecution Service and Serious Crimes Investigation Agency on October 2, the criminal justice system will undergo unprecedented changes," Park wrote. "Now is the time to closely examine how the new system operates, rather than repeating the debate over its merits and drawbacks."
He referenced President Lee Jae-myung's statement during a press conference on September 18 regarding the need for thorough checks and improvements, emphasizing that a continuous evaluation system is necessary to collect scientific and objective data from the first day of implementation.
The proposed evaluation committee would oversee not only the Public Prosecution Service and Serious Crimes Investigation Agency but also the police and the Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials, ensuring a comprehensive review of all investigative and prosecutorial agencies. The plan includes monthly meetings to verify issues such as delays in investigations, inter-agency workload distribution, victim rights protection, and the functioning of police oversight mechanisms.
To enhance the fairness of the evaluation, Park stressed the importance of including experts from both sides of the debate, as well as specialists in human rights, administration, and statistics, along with representatives from civil society. He also suggested granting the committee the authority to recommend supplementary legislation to the government and the National Assembly if structural flaws are identified beyond the initial implementation challenges.
"We must not treat the newly established systems as untouchable simply because they are part of prosecutorial reform. Conversely, we should not hastily conclude that the entire reform is flawed just because some issues arise in the early stages," Park stated. "What is needed is a calm evaluation based on facts and data, not political slogans."
He added, "The responsibility for reform does not end with the passage of laws; it also involves managing the outcomes. Acknowledging unexpected problems and swiftly addressing them is also a key aspect of reform."
Park's proposal received immediate attention from the political sphere. Jeong Seong-ho, a member of the Democratic Party and former Minister of Justice under the Lee Jae-myung administration, commented on Park's post, calling it "a very necessary and good suggestion."
He noted that the rapid pace of reform without a thorough diagnosis of the previous prosecutorial system has led to insufficient review of the consequences, urging the need to closely monitor the implementation process and be prepared to quickly address any side effects.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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