The nation's police chief has protested the enactment of a presidential decree on the Criminal Procedure Act and the Prosecutors Office Act as completely going against efforts to adjust investigative rights between the police and prosecution.

The Justice Ministry last week announced an upcoming legislation of the presidential order under which as long as a search warrant is issued, prosecutors are not required to refer the case to the police. It also grants the heads of district prosecutor's offices the right to initiate an investigation. 

In a Monday news conference, Kim Chang-yong, commissioner general of the National Police Agency, said the crux of the investigative rights adjustment is to restrict investigations carried out by prosecutors. He argued that the presidential order will, however, allow prosecutors to practically investigate all crimes if a search warrant is issued in the early stages of a probe.

He opposed expanding the scope of investigation by prosecutors and vowed efforts to make the presidential decree more in line with the purpose of the law saying there is still time left for discussion.