The outline of the organization for the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency (SCI), which launches in October, has been released. It will operate with a headquarters and six regional offices, totaling 2,874 personnel. It plans to handle seven major categories of serious crime, including economic, corruption, and narcotics, and to take over joint investigation units that the prosecution has led. A temporary special appointment system will also allow prosecutors and prosecution investigators to transfer to the SCI without separate exams.
◇ SCI headquarters and six regional offices system… investigations into seven major crimes
The SCI launch task force said on the 4th it has prepared draft decrees on the "SCI and its affiliated institutions' organization" and the "SCI investigator appointment ordinance," covering structure, headcount, and personnel management plans. The drafts will be preannounced for legislation from the 5th to the 10th, and staffing procedures will proceed in parallel.
The SCI will investigate seven major crimes: corruption, economic, defense procurement, narcotics, national security, cyber, and distortion of law. National security crimes include insurrection and external collusion cases. The Seoul office will establish specialized bureaus such as the Economic Crimes Bureau, Financial Crimes Bureau, Anti-Corruption Bureau, Narcotics Bureau, and Advanced Investigations Bureau. To prevent abuse of investigative authority, it will also have an inspector general, a review officer for investigations, and a human rights protection officer.
The organization will consist of a headquarters and six regional offices in Seoul, Suwon, Daejeon, Daegu, Busan, and Gwangju. The headquarters will handle investigation policy, command and oversight of major cases, and human rights policy, while the regional offices will directly investigate serious crimes within their jurisdictions.
Total headcount is 2,874. It consists of 2,567 investigators and 307 general civil servants and others. The Seoul office, where cases will be concentrated, will be assigned 1,089 personnel, about 38% of the total.
◇ New joint investigation divisions for narcotics, voice phishing, and more
The SCI also plans to newly establish joint investigation units that are currently operated mainly by the prosecution. The Seoul office will set up a Voice Phishing Joint Investigation Division, a Financial Crimes Joint Investigation Division, and a Virtual Assets Joint Investigation Division. Suwon will get a Narcotics Joint Investigation Division, and Daejeon will get a National Fiscal Crimes Joint Investigation Division. As with the Joint Investigation Headquarters, it plans to receive personnel seconded from other agencies such as the Financial Services Commission and the National Tax Service.
A supplementary investigation unit will also be set up to further review cases initially investigated by other investigative agencies, such as the police, at a prosecutor's request. The headquarters and regional offices will have special investigation units dedicated to crimes against vulnerable people to check insufficient investigations or additional allegations.
◇ Appointment without separate exams for prosecution personnel… briefings at Prosecution Service offices nationwide
The key is how much prosecution talent with investigative experience can be secured. The SCI will temporarily operate a special appointment system through Apr. 30 next year that allows prosecutors and prosecution investigators to transfer without separate recruitment exams.
When a prosecutor transfers to the SCI, rank will be set according to the existing position and legal career. District chief prosecutor level will be Grade 1; deputy chief and chief prosecutor level will be Grade 2; prosecutors with 10 years or more of legal career will be Grade 3; and those with less than 10 years will receive treatment equivalent to Grade 4. Considering that entry-level prosecutors typically receive treatment equivalent to Grade 3 in the prosecution, prosecutors with less than 10 years will in effect be placed one grade lower.
To enhance investigators' expertise, the SCI will also expand special promotions. For Grade 6 and below investigators, special promotions will account for at least 30% of all promotions.
From the 5th to the 12th, the launch task force will tour 18 district offices of the Prosecution Service nationwide to hold appointment briefings for prosecutors and prosecution investigators. From Aug. 7 to 20, it will recruit applicants, finalize selections by the end of September, and assign them on Oct. 2, the day of the launch.
◇ Separate building to be used, not Prosecution Service facilities
In line with the aim of separating investigation and indictment, the SCI will not use Prosecution Service buildings and will move into separate facilities. The headquarters and the Seoul office will use the Renesquare Building in Jung-gu, Seoul. Other regional offices will finalize contracts in August after discussing candidate buildings and lease terms.
For case handling, the Korea Information System of Criminal Justice Services (KICS) will use the Korean National Police Agency's system rather than building a new SCI system. This is because a separate build is expected to take more than three years. Essential functions will be implemented by the launch date, with the rest added in phases.
Kim Min-jae, head of the SCI launch task force, said, "We will launch as a professional investigative body trusted by the public."