Lee expresses concern over prosecutors' resistance to reform

SEOUL, June 30 (Yonhap) -- President Lee Myung-bak has voiced his concern after five top prosecutors offered to resign en masse in protest of a proposed law revision seen as restricting their investigative control of police, officials said Thursday.
"Prosecutors should not be seen as taking collective action," Lee was quoted by presidential officials as saying after his top civilian affairs secretary briefed him on the situation Wednesday night. "We have to ensure that it does not worry people."
Lee also said that the prosecution should handle the issue "wisely," officials said.
Prosecutors grew upset after the parliamentary judiciary committee on Tuesday revised last week's hard-won compromise over how to share investigative rights with police in a way that they believe restricts their oversight of police investigations.
Last week's agreement calls for allowing police to open investigations on their own under supervision by prosecutors. It had stipulated that details on the prosecution's oversight of police probes will be determined by a justice ministerial decree.
But the ruling and opposition parties revised that clause to say that a presidential decree will determine those specifics. Prosecutors believe the change hurts their rights because drawing up a presidential degree effectively requires consent from police.
The revision will become final if it passes through a parliamentary plenary session.
On Wednesday, five top prosecutors offered to step down in protest. Prosecutor-General Kim Joon-kyu also plans to offer his resignation early next week after he presides over an international conference of chief prosecutors that opened in Seoul on Thursday.
"We're watching the situation," a presidential official said on condition of anonymity. "The prosecution should look at this issue in a prudent and cool-headed manner."
jschang@yna.co.kr
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