President Lee Jae-myung stated on October 5 that "prosecutorial reform is for the people, not to create a political legacy for specific individuals," emphasizing that personal interests should not influence personnel decisions or specific investigations and prosecutions.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), President Lee wrote, "It is wrong to undermine or even obstruct the efforts of others in a bid to monopolize the achievements made through collective effort." His comments come amid ongoing backlash from hardliners within the ruling party regarding the nomination of Kim Ji-yong as the first head of the Serious Crime Investigation Agency, reiterating that the results of prosecutorial reform should not be monopolized by specific factions or linked to personnel issues.
President Lee clearly delineated the purpose of prosecutorial reform, stating, "The goal is not to take revenge on the prosecution or destroy its functions, but to separate the investigation and prosecution functions to ensure they operate optimally without being misused by the government." He directly refuted claims that the government has delayed prosecutorial reform, asserting, "The reform has been implemented more swiftly and thoroughly than any previous administration, achieving complete separation of investigation and prosecution, as well as the separation of affiliated departments beyond initial expectations."
He added, "What remains is to ensure that the investigative functions of the Ministry of Interior and Safety's Serious Crime Investigation Agency and the prosecution functions of the Ministry of Justice's Prosecution Agency operate effectively." With the official launch of the Serious Crime Investigation Agency and the Prosecution Agency on October 2, the focus of future prosecutorial reform is expected to shift towards the stable operation of these newly established organizations.
President Lee outlined the roles of the new agencies, stating, "The Serious Crime Investigation Agency will rigorously and thoroughly investigate public corruption, economic crimes that disrupt the economic order, and white-collar crimes, regardless of political affiliation." He instructed the Prosecution Agency to act as a representative of the public interest, performing its duties of prosecution and maintaining transparency in defending citizens' rights.
He reiterated, "The task of separating investigation and prosecution has been institutionally completed by law, and now the focus is on properly establishing and operating these systems." At the end of his remarks, he cautioned against personal interests during the reform process, stating, "As I always emphasize, it is crucial to distinguish between public and private matters and to set aside personal interests in all public duties, including governance. I trust this will not happen, but we must ensure that prosecutorial reform is not used as a pretext for personal interests in personnel decisions or specific investigations and prosecutions."
These comments appear to be directed at dissenting voices within the ruling party regarding the nomination of Kim Ji-yong, including lawmakers like Kim Yong-min and Gyeonggi Governor Chu Mi-ae. The previous night, President Lee had also stated, "Reform is for the people and the nation, not for the political achievements or applause of any individual," and warned against irresponsible extremism from any side.
Additionally, President Lee addressed the controversy surrounding the comprehensive land investigation, sharing a post from Minister Song Mi-ryeong, who introduced an animated video fact-checking the investigation. He expressed gratitude to the creator and emphasized, "The land investigation is merely an investigation; those who legitimately own land will face no disadvantages."
He pointed out, "The issue lies with those who, without any intention of farming, deceive the government by claiming they will farm for speculative purposes, acquiring land without farming it and leaving it abandoned." Minister Song also clarified on her X account that the purpose of the land investigation is to compile a foundational database of scattered land information since the implementation of the Land Act in 1996, emphasizing that it is not intended to disadvantage legitimate landholders.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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