President Lee Jae-myung firmly opposes extreme demands from hardliners within the ruling party regarding prosecutorial reform, advocating for a balanced approach instead.
On December 16, President Lee Jae-myung of South Korea published a lengthy statement outlining his thoughts on prosecutorial reform, signaling a strong determination to resolve the existing conflicts within his party, particularly those instigated by some hardliners and his supporters. During a banquet with first-term lawmakers the previous day, he highlighted the need for orderly reform by stating that 'excessive reform leads to overreach,' which underlined his cautious stance on the reforms being proposed. His direct remarks on social media addressed several contentious points raised by these hardliners.
One of the contentious proposals criticized by President Lee was the suggestion to rename the Prosecutor General to the 'Public Prosecutor Chief.' He argued that this change could lead to constitutional controversies, making it difficult to justify the need for such a change since the Constitution clearly designates the role as the Prosecutor General. He dismissed the notion that the renaming would eliminate any residual powers of the prosecutors, labeling such efforts as excessive. Lee also expressed skepticism about another key point regarding the complete dismissal and selective reappointment of all prosecutors, asserting that the unclear reappointment criteria leave unnecessary risks and pushbacks open for opponents of the reform.
In his statement, President Lee addressed the issue of supplementary investigation rights, emphasizing that some minimum level of these rights should be maintained to protect crime victims. He opposed claims from some hardliners to entirely strip the prosecutors of these rights, arguing that while the potential for abuse needs to be mitigated, it is equally crucial to prevent situations where law enforcement authorities neglect incidents. By articulating these points, President Lee sought to establish clear boundaries within his party, seeking to resolve ongoing controversies about the establishment of new prosecution agencies, in line with a more moderate and structured framework for reform efforts.
