Prosecution overhaul raises fears of drug probe gaps

The Korea Times - Oct 15, 2026

The status of about 1,500 cases referred by the Korea Customs Service (KCS) to prosecutors remains unclear following a major overhaul of the criminal justice system that replaced the prosecution service with two new agencies, an opposition lawmaker said Thursday. The uncertainty has raised concerns about disruptions to drug investigations, as narcotics offenses account for most of the cases. Data the KCS provided to Rep. Lee Jong-wook of the main opposition People Power Party showed that customs officers with special investigative powers referred 1,582 cases to prosecutors in the first eight months of this year. The breakdown included 1,123 drug cases, 237 customs cases and 139 foreign exchange cases. The customs agency, however, has been unable to establish how those cases have been handled since the prosecution service was abolished on Oct. 2 and its duties were divided between two new agencies responsible for prosecutions and serious crime investigations. “The restructured Prosecution Service was expected to return previously referred cases to customs, request further investigation o

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