Number of Prosecutor Retirements Exceeds 100 for Fifth Consecutive Year

As judicial reforms and changes to the criminal justice system continue, the number of prosecutors leaving their positions has been increasing annually. For the fifth consecutive year, the number of annual retirements has surpassed 100, raising concerns about a surge in unsolved cases due to staff shortages.

According to the Ministry of Justice, 110 prosecutors have retired from the beginning of the year until the end of September. This represents 4.7% of the current authorized strength of 2,292 prosecutors and 5.2% of the current workforce of 2,129 as of August.

This figure is nearly half of the total staff at the Seoul Central District Prosecutor's Office and exceeds the total number of staff at smaller regional offices, such as the Ulsan District Prosecutor's Office. The highest number of retirements occurred in February, with 33 prosecutors leaving, followed by 18 in March, 12 in August, and 11 in September.

The annual number of retirements remained around 70 to 80 until 2018, but has surged since discussions on the reallocation of investigative powers and judicial reforms gained momentum. Following a reduction in investigative authority, retirements jumped to 146 in 2022, followed by 145 in 2023 and 132 in 2024. Notably, last year saw a record 175 retirements as calls for the abolition of the prosecution office intensified under the Lee administration.

This year, the trend of departures has continued amid significant organizational changes, including the establishment of the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency and discussions about the abolition of the prosecution office. Over 100 prosecutors applied for special appointments in the newly established agency, contributing to the rising retirement numbers. Internally, there are concerns that political pressures and excessive legal reforms have fueled the wave of resignations among prosecutors.

With a significant number of key investigative and prosecutorial personnel leaving, delays in case processing are becoming more pronounced. Recent statistics from the prosecution office indicate that the number of unsolved cases nationwide has increased from approximately 140,000 at the end of June to 186,307 by the end of September, highlighting the urgent need for measures to address this issue.