Min Hyung-bae, Chairperson of the Democratic Party of Korea's special committee on prosecutorial reform, noted on the 27th that the party leadership has concerns that 'Minister of Justice Jeong Seong-ho has gone too far' regarding the prosecutorial reform centered on the abolition of the prosecution office. He drew a line regarding the differences between the party and the government over the reform proposal, stating, 'I hope it does not appear as a conflict.' However, Min's public remarks seem to have deepened the rift between the party and the government.
On the same day, Min, while meeting with reporters in front of the National Assembly leader's office, directly refuted the recent comments made by Minister of Justice Jeong Seong-ho. He emphasized, 'The complete abolition of the supplementary investigative powers of the prosecution is not included in the special committee's proposal,' adding, 'It seems the minister has expressed a personal opinion. This is not something that has been agreed upon or discussed by the party and the government.' He continued, 'It seems that the party leadership also has the thought that 'the minister has gone too far.'
Recently, Minister Jeong has expressed a cautious stance on the necessity of fully abolishing the supplementary investigative powers of the prosecution, noting that it would be excessive for the National Investigation Agency to take charge of reviewing appeals on police cases that are not prosecuted. He also pointed out that if the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency is established under the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, there could be issues with the concentration of power.
In response, Min pointed out, '(It seems the minister) has not confirmed whether there is an appeal provision in the special committee's draft. It seems that the special committee is not actively reviewing that part.' He expressed concern regarding whether the minister's statement was truly in line with his duties, saying, 'It seems there is worry about whether it is in line with the minister's role, especially since the party has not yet issued a position on this.'
However, he drew a line regarding the rumors of conflict between the party and the government. Min asked, 'The agreement between the party and the government has not yet been finalized, and we are in consultation, so please do not report it as if there is a conflict, as if coordination has not been achieved.'
The special committee stated that the draft of the prosecutorial reform law is in a completed state, and it will finalize the proposal after going through a public discussion process along with amending the Government Organization Act. Min mentioned, 'As promised to deliver the news of the abolition of the prosecution office to the public during the holiday season, the draft is almost complete and in the final stages.'
However, regarding the timing of the bill's disclosure, he stated, 'It will be fully revealed at the time of proposal,' and added, 'The major issues will naturally emerge as the opinions of the public are heard.' He continued, 'The structural reform of prosecutorial reform will be dealt with first through amendments to the Government Organization Act, and subsequent bills will go through a public discussion process over time.'