On the 2nd, Prosecutor General Shim Woo-jung, who is resigning, expressed concerns once again about the prosecution reform being promoted by Lee Jae-myung's administration on his last commute.
On the morning of that day, around 8:52 a.m., Prosecutor General Shim told reporters on his way to the Supreme Public Prosecutors' Office, "The criminal justice system of a state that punishes crime and protects citizens from crime is directly related to the basic rights of the people."
He added, "The criminal justice system must be designed as a national long-term plan so that frontline prosecutors can serve the people with a sense of duty, after sufficiently listening to opinions from various sectors and engaging in in-depth and cautious discussions to meet the needs of the people."
Afterward, when questions from reporters followed, the prosecutor general said, "I will substitute this with my resignation speech," and entered the building.
Prosecutor General Shim also expressed concerns about prosecution reform in a statement he released after tendering his resignation the previous day. In the 186-character resignation statement, he stated, "The criminal justice system is a matter directly connected to the basic rights such as the life, body, and property of all citizens," adding, "If there is a predetermined timeline and conclusion, many unexpected side effects may arise."
Meanwhile, President Lee Jae-myung has indicated in his election pledge that he will separate the prosecution's investigative and prosecutorial functions. After President Lee was elected, the Democratic Party of Korea proposed a bill to divide the prosecution into the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency, which handles investigations; the Prosecution Office, which handles prosecutions; and the National Investigation Commission, which coordinates and manages investigation tasks.