Jeong Seong-ho, Minister of Justice: "Complete Prosecution Reform in Line with Public Expectations"

[Financial News] Jeong Seong-ho, the new Minister of Justice, who emphasized 'prosecution reform', expressed his determination in his inaugural address on the 21st to "conclude the debate on the separation of investigative and prosecutorial powers and complete prosecution reform in line with public expectations." He plans to reflect on the abuse of prosecutorial power and restore public trust through substantial reform centered on human rights protection.
Minister Jeong stated at the inauguration ceremony held at 11 a.m. at the Government Complex Gwacheon, "The prosecution must be reborn as a 'human rights protection agency'" and emphasized, "We must critically reflect on whether there were any citizens who suffered injustice due to wrongful investigations or prosecutions, and whether prosecutorial power was abused."
He continued, "Investigations aimed at prosecution and unreasonable maintenance of indictments for the rationalization of investigations must disappear," and stressed, "If there are any illegal human rights violations during the investigation or prosecution process, they must be held strictly accountable."
Minister Jeong also mentioned the potential side effects that could arise after the adjustment of investigative and prosecutorial powers. He said, "We must meticulously design the system to prevent blind spots in crime response or side effects such as poor or delayed investigations," and added, "We must also seek ways to effectively utilize it as an asset for the people without undermining the crime response capabilities of the entire national investigative agency."
Along with 'prosecution reform', Minister Jeong presented major tasks such as △ fulfilling the Ministry of Justice's original role in creating a safe country, such as 'eradication of crime' △ establishing efficient legal administration through advanced technologies such as AI △ reforming immigration policies and preparing legal systems to revitalize the economy.
Minister Jeong particularly announced strong responses to crimes threatening people's livelihoods, such as drugs, digital sex crimes, and voice phishing, and stated that he would establish a proactive response system for new crime methods. He also mentioned that supporting crime victims, strengthening legal structures for the socially disadvantaged, and advancing correctional administration are key tasks.
Additionally, he predicted an expansion of the Ministry of Justice's role, including a paradigm shift in immigration policy, institutional improvements for attracting foreign talent and revitalizing the regional economy, and strengthening the response to international disputes.
Finally, Minister Jeong stated, "What we must aim for is the spirit of 'overcoming the strong and supporting the weak, and correcting the wrongs'," and added, "We must unite our efforts to look after the difficulties of the weak, boldly correct past mistakes, and realize social justice."
He further explained, "The process of innovation and reform may be difficult, but if we focus solely on the perspective of the people and move in a direction for the people, I believe we can fully achieve our goals."  



scottchoi15@fnnews.com Choi Eun-sol Reporter