With the National Assembly having confirmed abolition of the Prosecutors' Office through a government-organization law revision, the follow-up Public Prosecution Office Act is nearing effect, the Kyunghyang Shinmun reported. The prosecution will rebrand as the 'Public Prosecution Office' for the October start and relinquish the power to open investigations entirely.

Once the act takes effect, prosecutors will handle only warrant requests, indictments and the maintenance of prosecutions. Their authority to direct special judicial police, who investigate like police within specific fields such as finance, labor and the environment, will also vanish. Much of the investigative function moves to the new Serious Crimes Investigation Agency and the police.

The Lee Jae-myung government and the Democratic Party have made prosecution reform a core agenda since just after last year's presidential election, pushing through legislation to abolish the office. The aim is to separate investigation from indictment and disperse prosecutorial power, in what is seen as a major turning point for Korea's criminal-justice system.

Still, many worry about practical gaps from the transition. Critics note confusion is unavoidable until jurisdiction over pending cases, staff reassignment and inter-agency cooperation settle into place. For foreign residents in Korea, too, which agency handles investigation and indictment if they are caught up in a criminal case will change, making the shift worth watching.