Jeong Seong-ho, Minister of Justice, Expresses Commitment to "Prosecutorial Reform" at Inauguration Ceremony
On the 21st, Jeong Seong-ho, the Minister of Justice, expressed a strong commitment to preventing human rights violations and completing prosecutorial reform at his inauguration ceremony.
During the ceremony held at 11 AM, Minister Jeong emphasized the necessity of prosecutorial reform, stating, "We must prevent human rights violations such as coercive investigations and abuse of prosecutorial authority."
In his inaugural speech, Minister Jeong proposed "Protection of the People's Human Rights" as the guiding principle of legal administration.
"Protection of the People's Human Rights"
He stated, "Every area of legal administration directly affects the lives of the citizens, so the guiding principle must be 'Protection of the People's Human Rights.'"
In particular, he emphasized that "we must thoroughly prevent coercive investigations and human rights violations such as the abuse of prosecutorial authority throughout the entire process of exercising public power, including criminal investigations, prosecutions, crime prevention, and execution of sentences. We must also unhesitatingly correct wrongful practices and transform into a legal and prosecutorial system that protects human rights."
Emphasis on Prosecutorial Reform through Separation of Investigation and Prosecution Rights
Minister Jeong clearly articulated his commitment to the separation of investigation and prosecution rights.
He asserted, "Let us complete the prosecutorial reform that meets the expectations of the people," adding, "We must resolve the issues of the separation of investigation and prosecution rights and put an end to the fruitless debates surrounding prosecutorial reform."
Additionally, Minister Jeong stated, "Investigations aimed at prosecution and unreasonable prosecution retention for the sake of investigative rationalization must disappear," and urged, "Let us eliminate what needs to be eliminated, take responsibility for what needs to be taken, and move forward." This is interpreted as a call for fundamental change in prosecutorial investigation practices.
Strengthening Responses to Livelihood-Related Crimes and Disruptions to Economic Order
Minister Jeong also emphasized the need for proactive responses to livelihood-related crimes.
He remarked, "Investigations and prosecutions of livelihood-related crimes must not be sidelined for any reason," urging, "Let us accelerate our efforts."
In particular, he stressed the need for active responses to crimes that undermine community trust, such as stock price manipulation and the spread of fake news and malicious misinformation that divide the citizens.
This shows the Ministry of Justice's firm commitment to addressing recent social issues related to economic crimes and the dissemination of false information.
Meanwhile, before his inauguration ceremony, Minister Jeong paid his respects at the Seoul National Cemetery in Dongjak-gu at 9:22 AM.
In response to questions from reporters about the qualifications of the next Prosecutor General after the tribute, he stated, "The most important thing is the commitment to protect the people's human rights and uphold the Constitution," and added, "I believe it is essential to have a firm will and passion for the immediate task of prosecutorial reform."
Image Source: Jeong Seong-ho, Minister of Justice / News1, News1, Jeong Seong-ho, the new Minister of Justice, visits the Seoul National Cemetery in Dongjak-gu on the 21st to pay his respects at the Memorial Tower. / News1
