With the implementation of the revised Criminal Procedure Law, various joint investigation units that have operated in collaboration between the prosecution and police will be disbanded.
According to legal sources on October 1, the joint investigation units, including the Seoul Eastern District Prosecutor's Office's voice phishing crime unit, the Seoul Southern District Prosecutor's Office's financial and securities crime unit, and the virtual asset crime unit, as well as the Seoul Northern District Prosecutor's Office's national financial crime unit, will officially cease operations starting October 2.
These joint investigation units have been praised for their ability to respond to major crimes by leveraging the expertise of both the prosecution and police. They expedited legal reviews and warrant applications from the early stages of investigations, significantly increasing the speed of inquiries by combining the police's on-site investigative capabilities with the prosecution's judicial process expertise. The financial and securities crime unit, known as the 'Grim Reaper of Yeouido,' achieved notable success in tracing financial flows and addressing complex legal issues.
However, with the revised Criminal Procedure Law taking effect on October 2, the direct investigation authority of Public Prosecution Service prosecutors will be eliminated, making it impossible to maintain the existing form of joint investigation units.
Concerns have been raised within the prosecution regarding the potential loss of investigative know-how in specialized crime areas and a weakening of response capabilities. This is particularly relevant for financial crimes, which have primarily been handled by the Seoul Southern District Prosecutor's Office, as expertise is required to unravel complex financial flows and legal issues that have accumulated over many years.
The role of the joint investigation units will be taken over by the newly established Serious Crimes Investigation Agency. Joint investigation teams involving police, the National Tax Service, and financial authorities will be set up at local offices under the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency. The Seoul office will include units for voice phishing crimes, financial crimes, and virtual asset crimes, while the Suwon office will establish a drug crime joint investigation unit.
However, under the new judicial system, Public Prosecution Service prosecutors will only perform legal reviews and provide opinions at the warrant application stage, rather than directing investigations. Additionally, due to regulations prohibiting the dispatch of Public Prosecution Service prosecutors to agencies under the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency, addressing the gap in legal reviews during the initial stages of investigations remains a challenge.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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