Minister Jung Sung-ho of the Ministry of Justice said, "I feel a heavy sense of responsibility for delays in handling cases that have occurred since the adjustment of investigative authority between prosecutors and police."
The Minister said this on the 9th at the Government Complex Gwacheon while attending a book talk by Gwak Aram, a reporter at The Chosun Ilbo who published a book about her experiences pursuing litigation after suffering stalking crimes and other violence against women, saying, "We will do our best to prevent violence against women, including stalking, and to protect victims."
In May, Reporter Gwak published the book "An Excellent Victim," which vividly depicts the contradictions she felt during the litigation process after suffering stalking in the past.
In the book, Reporter Gwak noted that despite being the victim of a stalking case, she had to find evidence to prove guilt and submit it to the prosecution, and she pointed out the reality that it was difficult even to know the sentencing recommendation.
In particular, even after the offender was imprisoned, he continued to send threatening letters to Reporter Gwak, and although she asked the police, the prosecution, and the prison to block the letters, no action was taken. It is said that only after related reports came out did the prosecution ask the prison to impose mail censorship measures.
At the book talk that day, Reporter Gwak also pointed out the unreasonable aspects of the current criminal justice system—investigations, indictments, and trials—that proceed without sufficiently reflecting victims' pain and demands. She also conveyed that, contrary to the good intentions of prosecution reform, victims, who are the real parties in criminal cases, are suffering in practice from delays caused by frequent transfers of cases between investigative agencies.
The Ministry of Justice explained that "it was an occasion that suggested much about what true prosecution reform is."