Supreme Court updates civil procedure rule as prosecution service is replaced

The Supreme Court said Monday it has revised its civil litigation rules to replace references to the prosecution service with the new Public Prosecution Service, a change required by the creation of the Public Prosecution Service Act.

The amendment, promulgated as Supreme Court Rule No. 3278 and signed by Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae, changes Article 113, Paragraph 1 of the Civil Litigation Rules. The provision, which had referred to "courts and prosecution offices," now reads "courts and public prosecution offices," including regional public prosecution offices, local public prosecution offices and their branch offices.

The revision follows the enactment of the Public Prosecution Service Act, which abolished the prosecution service and established the Public Prosecution Service in its place. The court said the amendment was needed to align the rules with the organizational names set out in the new law.

The rule took effect on the day it was promulgated and applies to cases already pending in courts at that time.