South Korea launches new investigation agency and restructured prosecution service in criminal justice reform

SEOUL, Oct. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea launched a prosecution service only tasked with indicting and a new investigation agency Friday in a major reform to the criminal justice system.

The Serious Crimes Investigation Agency (SCIA) and the restructured Prosecution Service will officially hold separate launch ceremonies later in the day, replacing the existing prosecutors' office after 78 years.

The move comes as part of a major reform to the prosecution, which has faced criticism over wielding excessive authority to conduct both investigations and indictments.

Under the reform, prosecutors will now only be tasked with indicting and maintaining indictments against suspects, while the SCIA will conduct investigations into corruption, defense industry crimes, insurrection and other serious crimes.

The reform, however, has faced pushback over concerns of handing excessive investigative powers to the police as prosecutors no longer have the authority to conduct supplementary investigations.

The police have faced intense public scrutiny in recent months over allegations of misconduct, including a missing person case on the southern resort island of Jeju that was closed without confirming the safety of the missing woman.

Critics have also raised questions about whether prosecutors can properly pursue indictments against criminal suspects without any investigative powers.

The two agencies were launched without chiefs at the helm. President Lee Jae Myung has requested a parliamentary confirmation hearing for his nominee for the inaugural SCIA chief, Kim Ji-yong.

The SCIA is also expected to face workforce shortages, with only about 1,900 employees at launch, about 66 percent of its authorized staffing level of 2,874.