Hong Seok-ki, chief of the National Investigation Headquarters, said the police will improve investigation completeness to prevent public harm following a legal change [1].
This shift marks a significant redistribution of legal authority in South Korea. By removing the supplementary investigation powers of the prosecution, the new amendment to the Criminal Procedure Act clarifies the police's role as the primary investigative body [2].
Speaking at a regular press conference on March 3, 2024 [1], Hong said the implications of the National Assembly passing the amendment [2]. He said the legislative move was a decision to clarify the responsibilities and roles of each agency [1].
Critics of the expansion of police power often fear the creation of an unchecked agency. Hong said the police would not become a "dinosaur police" force [1]. Instead, he focused on the necessity of ensuring that the initial stages of an investigation are thorough enough to withstand legal scrutiny without relying on prosecutorial intervention [1].
To achieve this, the National Investigation Headquarters intends to refine internal processes to ensure that cases are completed with a high level of accuracy [1]. Hong said the goal is to ensure that the public does not suffer from delays or errors resulting from the transition in investigative authority [1].
Under the previous system, the prosecution often returned cases to the police for supplementary work, a process that could prolong investigations. The new legal framework aims to eliminate this cycle by empowering the police to finalize investigations more effectively [2].
“"I will increase the completeness of investigations so that there is no damage to the people,"”
The removal of the prosecution's supplementary investigation powers represents a pivotal step in the ongoing effort to separate investigative and prosecutorial functions in South Korea. While this grants the police greater autonomy, it places the entire burden of evidentiary completeness on the National Investigation Headquarters. The success of this reform depends on whether the police can elevate their professional standards to avoid the 'dinosaur' effect—where an agency becomes too powerful to be effectively checked—while simultaneously reducing the time it takes for citizens to receive legal resolution.
