South Korea launches new prosecution service and investigation agency in 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 held official launch ceremonies, 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 be stripped of their investigative powers and only be tasked with indicting and maintaining indictments against suspects, with police now wielding more authority over criminal investigations.

The prosecution's 42 departments that conducted investigations have been abolished, with their functions being transferred over to the new investigation agency.

The SCIA will be tasked with investigating major crimes in seven categories -- corruption, economic crimes, defense acquisition, drug offenses, crimes against state security, cybercrimes and offenses involving distortion of the law.

Interior Minister Yun Ho-jung called for close cooperation between the agencies.

"Even if investigations and indictments are separated, the responsibility to the people should not be divided," he said during the SCIA's launch ceremony. "Each agency must faithfully play their roles and establish a thorough cooperation system to prevent gaps in cases from the start to the end."

In a release, the new prosecution service said it would "faithfully" fulfill its role centered on the people.

The reform, however, has faced pushback amid concerns of excessive authority to police and reduced checks on police investigations 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 also launched without chiefs at the helm, raising concerns over possible gaps in decision making.

President Lee Jae Myung has requested a parliamentary confirmation hearing for his nominee for the inaugural SCIA chief, Kim Ji-yong, a former prosecutor.

Kim's nomination has faced opposition from some ruling Democratic Party hardliners, who claimed the nominee had once opposed prosecution reform.

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.