The Democratic Party of Korea is launching a speed campaign to handle an amendment to the Criminal Procedure Act that includes abolishing prosecutors' supplementary investigation authority. The People Power Party, citing the "Jang Yun-gi case," says public sentiment has grown for keeping the supplementary investigation authority and is reviewing counter-legislation alongside a public campaign.
The National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on Bill Review No. 1 will meet on the morning of the 10th under the leadership of the Democratic Party to begin reviewing amendments to the Criminal Procedure Act. With the People Power Party protesting the formation of the standing committees, only lawmakers from the broader pro-ruling bloc centered on the Democratic Party are currently attending the Legislation and Judiciary Committee.
The Legislation and Judiciary Committee's bill subcommittee will put three bills amending the Criminal Procedure Act, which delete prosecutors' investigative authority, on the agenda en bloc for review that day. They are three bills: the amendment the Democratic Party submitted the previous day as a party platform, the bill by lawmakers Kim Yong-min and Park Eun-jung, and the bill by Cha Gyu-geun. All include abolishing the supplementary investigation authority, though the specific legal provisions differ slightly. However, since all are proposals by lawmakers from the broader pro-ruling bloc, consensus is expected to form quickly around the amendment submitted by the Democratic Party.
The Democratic Party plans to run the Legislation and Judiciary Committee every week to move quickly on handling the bills. Kim Seung-won, the ruling party secretary on the committee, told reporters after submitting the Criminal Procedure Act amendment the previous day that "the Bill Review Subcommittee No. 1 will hold bill discussions one to two times every week."
Although the abolition of the Prosecution Service and the launch of the Central Investigation Office and the Public Prosecution Office are set for Oct. 2, the Democratic Party says the remaining time is tight because the National Assembly audit period falls in between. The idea is that only a speed campaign can meet the deadline. Han Byeong-do, acting Democratic Party leader and floor leader, said at the supreme council meeting that morning, "We will make every effort in the detailed institutional design so that the new system can be launched stably on Oct. 2."
The People Power Party is launching an all-out campaign to block the abolition of the supplementary investigation authority. In the recent "Jang Yun-gi case," prosecutors uncovered police evidence destruction through a supplementary investigation, which is seen as putting public sentiment on their side.
Jeong Jeom-sik, the People Power Party floor leader, said at a floor countermeasures meeting that morning, "Keeping the supplementary investigation authority, which checks the police's monopoly on investigative power, is only natural, and special measures are needed to restore public trust in the police," adding, "We propose convening a tripartite consultative table among the ruling party, opposition, and government for reform of investigative agencies, including measures to check a complete monopoly of investigative power by the police."
Jeong said, "Yoon Ho-jung, Minister of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety (MOIS), and Yoo Jae-seong, acting commissioner general of the Korean National Police Agency, should take responsibility for this situation and resign," and "President Lee Jae-myung is strongly urged to swiftly appoint a formal commissioner general of the police."
Kim Mi-ae, senior deputy floor leader for policy, relayed remarks by the mother of the late Lee Chae-won, who was killed by Jang Yun-gi, saying, "The police, whom we believed would clear Chaewon's injustice, were on the murderer's side. How can any citizen live trusting the police?"
Kim, the senior policy deputy floor leader, said, "Changing the criminal justice system is the people's mandate, but saying you will abolish prosecutors' supplementary investigation authority is a declaration to go the other way," adding, "The People Power Party will push to amend the Criminal Act to restrict familial special provisions and impose heavier penalties, particularly for serious crimes such as murder, rape, and robbery, and for harboring offenders or destroying evidence in connection with the duties of investigative agency personnel."