황교안 법무부 장관은 5일 박근혜 대통령에게 ‘안전한 국가, 행복한 사회’라는 법무 행정 비전을 골자로 업무 계획을 보고했다. 올린 업무 보고의 요점은 검찰 개혁을 통한 국민적 신뢰 회복과 안전한 사회 구현이다.

대검찰청 중앙수사부는 폐지하고, 이에 따른 수사 공백을 메우기 위해 특수수사 활동을 담당하는 부서를 올해 안에 신설할 예정이다. 중수부는 고위 정치 관료, 경제인, 정치인을 집중 수사하는 기관으로서 지속적으로 정치 편향성 비판을 받아왔다. 이에 관해 민주통합당 서영교 의원은 작년 검찰총장 후보자 인상청문회에서 중수부가 2008년~2011년 기소한 사건 중 1심 평균 무죄율이 9.6%로 일반 사건보다 27배 가량 높다며 중수부 폐지 이행을 강조한 바 있다.

황 장관은 “독립 상설 수사 기관이 중수부를 대체할 것이다”고 말했다.

이어 대검 검사급 보직 규모, 법무부, 외부기관 파견검사는 상반기부터 단계적으로 감축한다. 또한 검찰 내부 문제가 불거짐에 따라 검사 선발제도를 개선하는 한편, 감찰 조직을 확대•개편해 더욱 엄격한 처벌 제도를 마련한다.

박근혜 대통령은 이에 “그동안 일부 검경의 비리, 낡은 관행 때문에 국민 신뢰를 잃은 부분은 과감한 공직기강 확립과 검찰을 포함한 사법개혁을 통해서 회복하길 바란다”고 말했다.

박근혜 대통령은 2012년 후보 시절 때부터 연이은 검사 비리와 성접대 추문에 대응책으로 대대적인 검찰 조직 개편을 주요 공약으로 내세웠다.

또한, 법무부는 성폭력, 학교 폭력, 가정 폭력, 불량 식품 등 ‘4대 사회악 근절 추진단’을 설립해 법무 검찰의 최우수 인력을 집중 배치키로 했다. 이들은 일선 검찰청 가운데 각각 5곳씩 선정된 ‘식품안전중점 검찰청’과 ‘부정식품합동단속반’에 배치된다.

아울러, 첨단 과학 기술을 활용하고 흉악 범죄 관련 자료 수집, 향후 일어날 범죄를 미리 예측해 미연에 방지하겠다고 밝혔다.

또한, 황 장관은 자본질서 교란 범죄와 지식 재산권 침해 범죄에 대응하기 위해 정부합동수사단을 설치하겠다고 말했다. 이는 박근혜 대통령이 지난달 주문한 주가조작 근절에 대한 해결 방안으로서, 국세청•관세청•금감원 등 유관기관과 긴밀히 협조해 지하 탈세 자금 관련 정보를 마련할 것이다.

지적 재산권 침해 범죄 수사 과정에서 문화체육관광부, 한국저작권위원회 및 특허청과 협력하여 온라인•모바일을 통한 지식재산권 침해사범과 기업 기술유출사범에 초점을 맞출 예정이다. (코리아 헤럴드 / 번역 이상주)


<관련 영문 기사>

Justice Minister aims to achieve prosecution reform and public safety

By Kim Young-won

Justice Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn pledged to push for reform of the prosecution to regain public trust, and to make efforts to secure the public safety.

At the policy briefing to President Park Geun-hye, the justice minister said it will abolish the Central Investigation Unit, which handles cases involving high-ranking government officials, businessmen, and politicians.

The CID was often blamed for its political bias and lack of political neutrality.

An acquittal rate from 2008 to 2011 was around 10 percent, almost 30 times higher than that of other cases, criticized a lawmaker Seo Young-kyo from the Democratic United Party at a parliamentary hearing last year.

“A permanent independent counsel will replace the special unit” said Hwang at the briefing.

Downsizing the workforce in the prosecution and strict punishments on irregularities by prosecutors are part of the planned reform.

Briefed about the ministry‘s policy direction, President Park said the authority should regain public trust through strict disciplines and a thorough reform.

President Park has long pledged to achieve reform in the prosecution since her presidential campaign last December after the prosecution had been embroiled in a series of scandals such as a sex-for-favor cases involving one of its prosecutors.

Minister Hwang also mapped out a master plan to secure the public safety by using high-end technology which he hopes to be effective and efficient mesures to prevent heinous crimes that threaten the lives of the people.

“The ministry will make the society a safer place by adopting high-end technology in deterring crimes against women, children and other social members being left in the blind spot of human rights protection such as married immigrants,” said Minister Hwang.

The ministry will start criminal mapping this year by collecting information such as time, and type of crimes, which will be shared with the local governments and police.

The New York Police Department has utilized the so-called “CompStat,” which uses databases and geographic information systems to record crimes and predicts type, location, and time of future crimes

The NYPD’s mapping system has proven its effectiveness and efficiency in curbing crimes since the 90s.

He said the ministry would adopt a more advanced type of electronic anklets for serial rapists or killers, which are expected to help in predicting an occurrence of a crime by analyzing the criminal records and behavioral pattern of ex-convicts.

The public concern has been on the rise as a string of shocking crimes were repeatedly committed in neighborhood.

Last April a Korean-Chinese named Wu Yuanchun killed a 27-year old woman in the city of Suwon after failing to attempt to rape her. Wu sliced off flesh of the victim to allegedly sell human meat.

According to a Justice Ministry report, sexual assault cases increased 96 percent to 19,000 in 2011 compared to the cases occurred in 2007.

Sexual assaults against teenagers and underage children also increased 93 percent to 4000 and 16.2 percent to 702 respectively during the same period.

The ministry will also prepare measures for married immigrants who often fall victim of domestic violence.

Recent murder cases against immigrant brides infuriated Korea as well as the countries of the brides, mostly Southeast Asian nations including the Philippines, Vietnam, and Cambodia.

More interpreters for the immigrants will be provided from the first stage of investigation for domestic violence.

Victims and their children will be able to receive medical services, mental therapy, and legal assistance through support centers for criminal victims, or facilities for immigrant women.

Hwang also said the ministry will set up a task force team in charge of protecting intellectual property.

Infringement on intellectual property has long been pointed out as a culprit that eats out the brand image and economy of the nation.

Not only does the ministry clamp down on manufacturers of counterfeit products, but also crack down on those breaching intellectual property through an illegal torrent service, which is a peer-to-peer file sharing and used to distribute a large amount of data on the Internet.

The ministry will work with related government agency such as Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Korea Copyright Commission and the Korean Intellectual Property Office in deterring the illegal file sharing on the internet and mobile network.  (wone0102@heraldcorp.com)