Korea splits prosecution and investigation as two new agencies open

Korea splits prosecution and investigation as two new agencies open

South Korea ended its 78-year Prosecutors' Office system on October 2, dividing charging and serious-crime investigations between two new agencies, per Seoul Shinmun.

Why this matters. The split changes where a person files a complaint, who investigates it, and which agency reviews the case before a charge reaches court. Most complaints now start with the police. The Serious Crimes Investigation Agency handles specified offenses such as corruption, economic crime, drugs, national-security crime, cybercrime, and distortion of law.

What changed. Prosecutors in the new Public Prosecution Office can still bring charges, handle trials, and perform judicial-control duties, but they can no longer investigate cases directly. Both agencies opened without permanent chiefs. The investigation agency also started below its authorized staffing level, per JoongAng Ilbo.

Worth knowing. Existing direct-investigation cases generally move to the police or Serious Crimes Investigation Agency. Prosecutors may keep an exceptional case for up to 90 days, including when the statute of limitations is close, per Hankyoreh.

One complication. Seoul staff accepted some filings by hand because access permissions were missing, although officials said the central system opened normally, per ChosunBiz. In Daegu, Seoul Shinmun reported a morning filing outage and paper handoffs for urgent police documents.

The last time. In 2021, prosecutors lost their general power to direct police investigations. Police gained primary investigative authority and the power to close cases at the first stage. Prosecutors kept direct-investigation powers for specified major crimes, according to an official government retrospective. The new split goes further by generally moving direct investigations out of the prosecution agency.

What's next. Both agencies still need permanent chiefs. Staff still need system access while hiring and office transitions continue. Daegu staff said their local organization and site may not stabilize until year-end.

Korea This Week

Seoul and Washington disagree over what Korea promised on the Alaska gas project

Washington says Korea is backing the Alaska liquefied natural gas project. Seoul says it agreed only to review the project under commercial and legal conditions.

What changed. The joint announcement listed a Texas power plant, a framework for eight large reactors, and a review of Alaska LNG. The shared wording made the Alaska project conditional on commercial reasonableness and Korean law, per Hankyoreh.

One complication. US President Donald Trump said the pipeline would proceed, and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick put Korean investment above $50 billion. Korea's industry minister said no amount or final investment had been agreed. Trump later said he would charge Korea twice as much if it did not sign soon, but did not say what would be doubled, per MBC.

What's next. The project still has to clear Korea's commercial and legal review before any final investment agreement. No date has been reported for that decision.

September inflation eased, but petroleum prices kept climbing

Consumer prices rose 2.9% from a year earlier in September, down from 3.1% in August, per Newsis.

The numbers.

• The index rose 0.3% from August.
• Inflation excluding food and energy was 2.8% year on year.
• The living-cost index rose 2.5% year on year.
• Petroleum products rose 14.8% year on year.

One complication. Fresh food was 3.3% cheaper than a year earlier, but vegetable prices jumped 14.2% in one month, per Newsis. A national average and the grocery basket in front of you can move in different directions.

North Korea says its new missile changed course with artificial-intelligence assistance

North Korea said Saturday's launch tested an intermediate-range strategic missile that could change course at low altitude using artificial-intelligence technology.

What changed. South Korea's military detected one ballistic missile from the Wonsan area on October 3 and said it flew about 700 kilometers toward the East Sea, per SBS.

One complication. North Korea is the only source for the maneuvering and artificial-intelligence claims in those reports. Analysts cited by Yonhap said it might be a hypersonic missile, but they had not identified the exact type.

What's next. There is no reported date for another launch.

An Se-young defends her Asian Games singles title

World No. 1 An Se-young beat Japan's Akane Yamaguchi 21-17, 21-9 in the women's singles badminton final on September 29.

Worth knowing. An became the first woman to win consecutive Asian Games singles titles since badminton joined the Games in 1962, per Yonhap.

Festivals worth checking out

• Through October 18. Jinju Namgang Lantern Festival: arrive near sunset to see the riverside lantern installations change into the night display, then pair the visit with Jinju Fortress. Entry is free.
• Through October 5. Anseong Namsadang Baudeokki Festival: tightrope walking and Namsadang Nori run through the final weekend.

See the full festivals calendar for what's running across the country.

Good Reads

• Kyunghyang Shinmun. “The quiet workplace bullying hidden in sighs, silence, and exclusion.” Repeated ignoring, contempt, and exclusion can damage a workplace without an obvious insult. The piece asks when an awkward exchange becomes a pattern of harm, using Korean research and labor rules alongside a Japanese term for hostile mood-setting. (link)

• Seoulstart. “Korean Language Schools in Korea: Which Program Is Right for You?.” Start with whether you need a D-4 student visa. Then compare university language institutes, private academies, and the Korea Immigration and Integration Program by visa, schedule, budget, and Test of Proficiency in Korean goals.

• The Korea Herald. “Tips for getting around Seoul by subway.” A route that looks fastest on a map may hide a long platform transfer or a packed train. The all-stop airport railroad also works as a commuter line. Luggage, children, walking distance, and the next train can change which route works best. (link) (members only)

• Hankyoreh. “The family story behind India's teenage Asian Games archery champion.” India's 17-year-old champion started with a wooden bow bought using her grandmother's money, trained with used equipment, and relied on her father for travel. Village festivals also helped build Maharashtra's broader youth archery pipeline. (link)

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New on Seoulstart this week

• Jobs lists openings in Korea for English speakers, refreshed daily. Browse by role, city, company, or collection.
• Activities has calendar, map, and list views for festivals, shows, and exhibitions. Filter by date, category, price, or area. Each listing includes source links for details.

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That's Seoulstart Korea Weekly for this week. See you next week.