The Serious Crimes Investigation Agency (SCIA), which has taken over investigative functions from the prosecution, officially launched on October 2. Jeon Jong-min, the agency's deputy chief, vowed to be a highly cautious investigative body in the face of citizens' freedoms and rights.
During the SCIA's opening ceremony held at the Renaissance Square in Jung-gu, Seoul, Jeon stated, "We will not repeat the same mistakes under a different name, using past errors as a mirror for our actions."
He noted, "There have been intense discussions and growing pains in establishing the role and identity of this new agency amid the historical task of prosecutorial reform. We have reached this point thanks to the public's desire to restore trust in the criminal justice system."
Jeon emphasized, "Just as one person cannot be both player and referee, an agency that handles both investigation and prosecution cannot be strict with itself. In a cycle where investigations justify prosecutions and vice versa, it is difficult for anyone to stop themselves."
He further stated, "The SCIA will prioritize 'restraint' as its foremost principle. An indiscriminate search that fails to narrow down allegations can disrupt an entire office, and an investigation that does not clarify the facts can consume years of a person's life. Our aim to enhance investigative capabilities is not to cut more but to cut less while addressing the root of the problem. The more uncertain we are, the broader the investigation tends to become. Our commitment to restraint does not mean we will conduct fewer investigations; it means we will conduct them more accurately."
Jeon outlined five key tasks for the agency: prioritizing the needs of crime victims and vulnerable groups, maintaining political neutrality and investigative independence, performing duties fairly according to law and principles, achieving the highest level of professional investigative capability, and thoroughly ensuring citizens' rights and due process.
In conclusion, Jeon expressed his commitment to developing the SCIA into an institution that citizens can trust and feel secure about, where members work with a sense of mission and pride, and ultimately, a representative professional investigative agency for South Korea. He pledged that he and all staff would dedicate themselves to this mission with a spirit of prioritizing the public good over personal interests.
The SCIA will focus on investigating seven major crimes, including corruption, economic offenses, defense industry crimes, drug-related crimes, national security violations, cybercrime, and legal distortion.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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