Anchor: South Korea's Justice Minister Cho Kuk has unveiled a set of measures to reform the prosecution. They include downscaling the investigative agency's powerful special units that have often been accused of being a hothouse for alleged cozy ties with influential politicians and conglomerates.
Choi You Sun has the details.

Report: South Korea's Justice Minister Cho Kuk on Monday announced plans to reform the prosecution, a state agency which critics claim abuses its power for political reasons.

[Sound bite: Justice Minister Cho Kuk (Korean)]
"The first reform measure that is also a presidential order is scaling down the prosecution's special investigative units and changing the unit name. We need to reduce the prosecution's direct investigation in order for the agency to become one that protects human rights. The prosecution has also vowed to abolish its special units, leaving only three at district offices. Based on such social consensus, the Justice Ministry decided to leave the units at the Seoul Central, Daegu and Gwangju district offices, while abolishing the other four."

The special units, whose current name fostered the notion that they are more powerful than other units, will be renamed anti-corruption investigative units -- the first name change in 46 years.

The revised units will be tasked with investigating government officials and conglomerates.

The plan will be part of a Tuesday Cabinet meeting agenda and will immediately take effect following Cabinet approval. However, Cho said ongoing special unit probes, including the one into corruption allegations surrounding his family, will not be affected.

The reform plan also includes measures to better protect the rights of suspects and stakeholders under the prosecution's investigation, such as banning questioning sessions from exceeding 12 hours at a time.

Late-night questioning will be restricted unless requested by the one being questioned and the ministry will finalize details of a prohibition on public summoning altogether.

The ministry will reinforce its inspection power over the prosecution, such as making it mandatory for the prosecution to report all corrupt acts by prosecutors to the justice minister.

Referring to recent candlelight rallies voicing support for the Moon Jae-in administration's judicial and prosecutorial reforms, Cho vowed to do all he can to fulfill his duties.

[Sound bite: Justice Minister Cho Kuk (Korean)]
"I will be the springboard for the prosecution's reform. I'm certain that several years down the road, the prosecution will have become an agency centered on the people and their rights. I ask the people to stand by the reforms so that by stepping onto me, we will be able to successfully complete the reforms this time around."

The minister stressed that all power in the country comes from the people and that no power stands above them.
Choi You Sun, KBS World Radio News.