Justice Minister Jung Sung-ho urged the National Assembly on June 29 to legislate the elimination of the statute of limitations for crimes committed by the state.
In a post on his Facebook page, Jung stated, "State violence not only destroys individual lives but also undermines the community's faith in judicial justice."
He referenced the 1990 Nakdong River murder case, saying, "To fabricate a suspect, innocent citizens were tortured and falsely accused of murder, and police who committed perjury during the retrial were brought to justice." He emphasized that victims Choi In-cheol and Jang Dong-ik endured 21 years of wrongful imprisonment before being acquitted in 2021 and fought for over a decade to clear their names after their release.
Jung explained that the statute of limitations for the torture-related crimes has expired, leaving only the possibility of prosecuting the perpetrators for perjury, which was pursued on the day the statute of limitations for perjury expired, despite the severe torture inflicted on the victims.
He asserted, "Those who commit inhumane state violence must be punished, and we must firmly establish the principle that 'justice has no statute of limitations' in our society." He also noted that President Yoon Suk Yeol has repeatedly emphasized the need for the National Assembly to actively consider legislation to eliminate the statute of limitations for state violence crimes.
Jung concluded by expressing sincere apologies for the over 30 years of suffering endured by Choi and Jang, stating, "The Ministry of Justice will do its utmost to create a just Republic of Korea where no one becomes a victim of fabricated crimes."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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