Han Byung-do, acting leader and floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, on Thursday called on police to undertake a sweeping organizational overhaul ahead of the Oct. 2 enforcement of an amended Code of Criminal Procedure that will fully strip prosecutors of their direct investigative authority and supplementary investigative powers.
"With greater authority comes the obligation to demonstrate a higher level of fairness, transparency and investigative integrity," Han said. "I urge everyone from police leadership down to frontline investigators to pursue a complete transformation with the resolve of staking the organization's very future on it."
Han made the remarks at a policy coordination meeting at the National Assembly, adding that "effective oversight of police investigative powers and rigorous internal reform are critical tasks for the new criminal justice system."
He also urged police to "take seriously the public's growing concern over police investigations, as seen in recent cases such as the Jang Yun-gi case."
"Fifty-seven days remain until the new criminal justice system takes effect — less than two months," Han said. "The Democratic Party will spare no effort to ensure the new framework launches without a hitch on Oct. 2 and takes root in a stable manner."
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