Since its launch on October 2, the Serious Crime Investigation Agency (SCIA) has received an average of 15 cases per day, according to reports. No cases have been transferred from the police or the Prosecution Service.
According to data received by Rep. Kim Ye-ji of the People Power Party, a member of the National Assembly’s Administrative Safety Committee, from the SCIA, a total of 185 cases (complaints, accusations, petitions, and appeals) were filed with the SCIA from October 2 to 13. This averages to 15.4 cases per day. This is only 1% of the number of cases previously received by the prosecution. Last year, the prosecution received a total of 535,974 complaints and accusations (456,602 complaints and 79,372 accusations), averaging approximately 1,468 cases per day.
No cases were transferred from the police or the Prosecution Service to the SCIA during this period. There was also a significant regional disparity in case filings. Of the total 185 cases received by the SCIA, 129 cases (69.7%) were concentrated in SeoulSCIA. Suwon and Daejeon offices each received 15 cases, 8.1%, followed by Gwangju with 11 cases, 5.9%, Busan with 9 cases, 4.9%, and Daegu with 6 cases, 3.2%. The Gwangju, Busan, and Daegu offices did not even receive an average of one case per day.
It was confirmed that, during the initial launch period, some local SCIA offices did not receive complaints and petitions submitted online. A citizen submitted a complaint regarding allegations of accounting irregularities during Kim Seung-won, a Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker’s tenure as head of the Gyeonggi Provincial Party Committee, via the online administrative service ‘Munseo24’ on October 2. However, the complaint was not delivered to SuwonSCIA, so the complainant had to resend it via fax.
An SCIA official explained, “This issue occurred because the computer system was not properly established on the day of the agency’s opening,” adding, “Currently, complaints and accusations received online through Munseo24 or the e-People petition portal are being delivered to the SCIA.”
The SCIA, which launched with only about 66% of its staffing quota filled, has yet to finalize key section chief appointments even after nearly two weeks. Delays in establishing the computer system have also hindered the initiation of full-scale investigations. Rep. Kim stated, “The SCIA is now responsible for crimes against socially vulnerable groups who find it difficult to assert their rights themselves. If there are disruptions in case filings, gaps in victim protection are inevitable,” adding, “Measures to normalize operations must be prepared.”
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