Prosecutors carry out final limited reshuffle ahead of transition to Public Prosecution Office...non-statutory departments to be abolished

[Financial News] Prosecutors will carry out a final limited personnel reshuffle at the end of this month ahead of the launch of the Public Prosecution Office on October 2. To minimize disruptions caused by the transition, they will reduce the size of the reshuffle while abolishing or reorganizing departments outside the official organizational structure, including the Human Rights Protection Officer and the Major Economic Crimes Investigation Team.
On the 28th, the Ministry of Justice held the 178th meeting of the Prosecutors’ Personnel Committee to deliberate on personnel principles for the launch of the Public Prosecution Office and plans to reorganize departments outside the official structure.
The committee decided to carry out the reshuffle while considering the organizational restructuring and transfers to the Serious Crime Investigation Agency. To prevent work gaps during the early stages of the launch and promote organizational stability, it will keep the size of the reshuffle to a minimum.
In particular, mid-level prosecutors will be assigned so that election cases nearing the expiration of the statute of limitations, as well as cases requiring continued handling for up to 90 days from the opening date under the supplementary provisions of the Criminal Procedure Act and the Public Prosecution Office Act, can be completed without disruption.
An experienced chief prosecutor will be assigned to the newly established Non-Referral Review Division. However, given that this reshuffle is temporary until the next regular personnel appointments, seniority-based assignments will be applied flexibly.
Departments that have operated outside the official organizational structure will also be reorganized. The Human Rights Protection Officer, the Major Economic Crimes Investigation Team, and the public information and planning officers at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office will undergo abolition procedures, as it has been determined that they cannot continue operating in their current forms following the restructuring of the Public Prosecution Office.
However, the authorities decided to minimize any disruption resulting from the disappearance of the functions these departments have performed. Before the next regular personnel appointments, they will develop specific plans for where to assign and how to coordinate those functions, then complete the reorganization process to ensure that no necessary roles are left unfilled.
The reshuffle will be announced at the end of this month, and the appointments will take effect on October 2, the launch date of the Public Prosecution Office.
 
[email protected] Choi Eun-sol Reporter