Subordinate statutes containing the organization, staffing, and operating standards of the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency (Jungsucheong), which will launch in Oct. with 2,874 personnel, passed the Cabinet meeting.
The Ministry of the Interior and Safety said on the 18th that the Cabinet meeting approved the enactment of the Enforcement Decree of the Act on the Organization and Operation of the Jungsucheong, the Jungsucheong and Its Affiliated Institutions Organization Decree, and the Jungsucheong Investigator Appointment Decree.
The Jungsucheong will investigate seven major crimes: corruption, economic crimes, defense acquisition, narcotics, national protection crimes, cybercrimes, and offenses of distorting the law. It will have 2,567 investigators and 307 general civil servants, totaling 2,874 personnel.
Each regional office will establish dedicated and joint investigation units by crime type. The Seoul Regional Office will have a joint investigation division for voice phishing, finance, and virtual asset crimes, and the Suwon Regional Office will have a defense industry technology investigation division and a joint narcotics investigation division. The Daejeon Regional Office will have a national finance crimes joint investigation division, and the Busan Regional Office will have an international economic crimes investigation division.
To handle supplemental investigations requested by prosecutors, each regional office except headquarters and Seoul will have a special investigation team for crimes against the socially vulnerable. The Seoul Regional Office will have a special investigation division for crimes against the socially vulnerable.
If another investigative agency becomes aware of a serious crime, it must notify the Jungsucheong. A review procedure was also established in which external experts examine the legality and propriety of investigations, and parties to a case may apply for the review.
Prosecutors and investigators of the Prosecution Service may transfer to the Jungsucheong without a separate exam if they wish. Those at the level of district chief prosecutor will be appointed as Grade 1 investigators; deputy chief and division chief prosecutors as Grade 2; prosecutors with 10 or more years of legal experience as Grade 3; and prosecutors with less than 10 years as Grade 4 equivalent investigators.
The Ministry of the Interior and Safety (MOIS) plans to proceed with follow-up procedures, including forming the Jungsucheong chief candidate recommendation committee, appointing investigators, securing office space, and building systems.