Ministry of Justice announces full review of Supreme Prosecutors' Office NDFC expansion project... It is carried out without considering the separation of investigation and prosecution.

The Ministry of Justice announced on the 5th that it will completely review the expansion project of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office's National Digital Forensics Center (NDFC).

This measure is interpreted as a response to criticism as to whether it is right to push ahead with an expansion project worth about 50 billion won in a situation where the scientific investigation function at a serious crime scene is being transferred to the Serious Crime Investigation Office.

The Ministry of Justice explained in a press notice on this day, "The NDFC expansion project has been promoted since 2021 in consideration of the aging of the existing building completed in 2008, saturation of human resources and physical equipment, and safety," adding, "It has been carried out according to the existing schedule at a practical level without considering the separation of investigation and prosecution, and government agencies' relocation plans to Sejong."

He went on to say, “Considering that the on-site scientific investigation function for serious crimes has been transferred to the Central Investigation Agency, and that organizational and personnel reorganization is scheduled in the future following the launch of the Public Prosecution Office and the Central Investigation Agency, we plan to completely reexamine whether to pursue this project.”

The Ministry of Justice added, "In the future, as the Public Prosecution Office will transfer the on-site scientific investigation function for serious crimes to the Central Investigation Office, we plan to abolish the Scientific Investigation Department and reorganize it into the Forensic Science Planning Directorate to focus on cross-examination, evidence preservation, and operation, which are essential for deciding whether to file a prosecution and maintaining it."

The afternoon before, Park Eun-jung, a member of the Cho Kuk Innovation Party, posted a post on Facebook saying, “The prosecution without investigative rights must stop smuggling out the 57.4 billion won new building,” demanding a halt to the expansion project.

According to the Seoul Regional Procurement Service's emergency construction bidding description posted by him, the Public Procurement Service announced that the opening date for the Daegeum NDFC expansion construction will be 11 a.m. on the 8th.