On the 2nd, Prosecutor General Shim Woo-jung said in his resignation speech, "It is not the right path for the people and the country to abolish even the essential and normal role of protecting the basic rights of the people beyond correcting the wrong parts of the prosecution."
This is his statement opposing the Lee Jae-myung administration's push for prosecution reform that involves decentralizing the authority of investigation and prosecution.
After expressing his intention to resign the previous day, Prosecutor General Shim held a retirement ceremony at the Supreme Public Prosecutors' Office at 10 a.m. He stated in his resignation speech, "There may be criticism of the prosecution's merits and roles," but he emphasized that the prosecution reform being pursued by the government should be carried out through careful discussion.
The prosecutor general noted, "We have already seen the side effects of changing the criminal justice system without sufficient research and simulation." He added, "Since the amendments to the Criminal Procedure Act and others, the processing time for criminal cases has doubled, and our response capability to crimes directly affecting people's lives has weakened."
He stated, "Reforming the criminal justice system is a matter directly related to the basic rights of the people's lives, bodies, and property," and emphasized that "sufficient time and deep discussions are needed." He also expressed his earnest hope that "the wisdom of experts from various fields and the voices of the people will be carefully listened to so that the most desirable criminal justice system for our society, our country, and each and every citizen can be established."
Meanwhile, Prosecutor General Shim resigns after just 10 months since starting his term in September last year. This makes him the 16th prosecutor general to step down mid-term since the term system (2 years) for the position was introduced.