South Korea to Cut Prosecutor Numbers as Investigation Powers Shift to Police

South Korea will reduce the size of its prosecutorial workforce as part of a major overhaul that transfers responsibility for criminal investigations to the police, the Justice Ministry said Tuesday.

The new Public Prosecution Service is scheduled to begin operating on October 2 with between 80 percent and 85 percent of the current statutory prosecutor quota. The existing quota under the Prosecutor Quota Act is 2,292, and the ministry said it plans to pursue a legal amendment that would enable further reductions.

The staffing change is a central element of the government’s broader prosecution reform. Under the new arrangement, police will assume responsibility for all investigations, while prosecutors will be confined to filing indictments and will no longer possess independent investigative authority. The division marks a substantial redistribution of power within South Korea’s criminal justice system.

The Cabinet approved amendments governing the organization of the new prosecution body and its personnel levels after the Justice Ministry gathered public feedback during a legislative notice period from September 4 through September 9. The ministry said the final package incorporated opinions submitted during that process.

The approved plan also goes beyond the reduction in prosecutors. It cuts investigative personnel further than an earlier staffing proposal, removes three additional posts at the deputy chief prosecutor level and eliminates eight departments. Several departments that had drawn controversy will also be renamed.

The overhaul is designed to separate investigation from prosecution, a long-running and politically contentious reform issue in South Korea. Prosecutors have historically exercised both the authority to investigate major cases and the power to bring charges, giving the institution a broad role in law enforcement and public affairs. The October changes will narrow that mandate and place primary investigative responsibility with the police.

Implementation will now depend on reorganizing personnel and functions before the new service opens. The government must also advance the planned revision of the Prosecutor Quota Act if it intends to reduce staffing below the initial 80-to-85-percent range.

The transition is likely to be closely watched for its effect on case handling, coordination between police and prosecutors, and the speed of criminal proceedings. With the launch date approaching, the staffing and departmental changes provide the clearest outline yet of how the restructured prosecution system will operate.