Lee calls for police reform to root out cover-ups, irregularities in investigations

President Lee Jae Myung reiterated his call for extensive police reform on Thursday, aiming to uncover any instances of cover-ups and irregularities in investigations. The reform is set to take effect when the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency (SCIA) and the Public Prosecution Service come into operation, following the recent amendment to the Criminal Procedure Act.

The president made this statement during a meeting with his key aides at Cheong Wa Dae, just before the establishment of the SCIA and the Public Prosecution Service as part of the ongoing prosecution system overhaul designed to eliminate the prosecution's investigative powers. The SCIA, which will be renamed as the Public Prosecution Service, will focus solely on investigating and maintaining indictments against suspects, while the Public Prosecution Service will be solely responsible for indicting and maintaining indictments against suspects.

Lee emphasized that the launch of these two agencies will signify the end of an era where prosecutors were empowered to conduct both investigations and indictments, and were often used as political prosecutors targeting political adversaries and subjecting them to persecution.