As opinions split within the Democratic Party of Korea over prosecutors' supplementary investigation authority between full abolition and partial retention, former Democratic Party leader Jung Chung-rae again stressed "abolishing the supplementary investigation authority," echoing the Rebuilding Korea Party.
On the morning of the 16th at the National Assembly, the former leader hosted a forum titled "A debate on amending the Criminal Procedure Act seen through cases of prosecutors' abuse of power." At the forum, pro-Jung Chung-rae lawmakers in the Democratic Party, including Kim Yong-min, Kim Young-hwan, Seo Young-kyo, Lee Sung-yoon and Han Min-soo, and hard-line prosecution reform lawmakers who have called for "abolishing the supplementary investigation authority" were in attendance. From the Rebuilding Korea Party, lawmakers Park Eun-jung, Cha Kyu-geun and Hwang Un-ha also took part.
This is seen as a countermeasure after 11 lawmakers, including Rep. Hong Ki-won, recently introduced a bill within the Democratic Party that would retain part of the supplementary investigation authority to protect victims, and after strong calls to keep the authority were made at the caucus on the 14th.
In his opening remarks, the former leader said, "Supplementary investigation authority is also investigative authority," adding, "Under the principle of separating investigation and indictment, retaining the supplementary investigation authority does not align with the principle." He continued, "If, out of distrust in police investigations, we end up granting investigation powers back to the prosecution, the pattern of overreaching indictments the prosecution has shown will resurface," adding, "It will greatly disappoint the pro-democracy reform camp that longed for prosecution reform."
He also said, "In the end, it will be a breach of a national promise, with not only the Democratic Party but the pro-democracy reform camp failing to keep its pledge," and stressed, "The full abolition of investigative authority, which has been discussed and hoped for over decades, must now be brought to a close."
Lawmakers of the Rebuilding Korea Party took the same stance as the former leader and called on the Democratic Party to act responsibly. Rep. Hwang Un-ha said, "The Democratic Party TF proposed a plan to fully abolish the supplementary investigation authority, and the Lee Jae-myung administration's state agenda also includes complete separation," adding, "I hope the ruling party will show a more responsible attitude." Rep. Cha Kyu-geun also criticized, saying, "The bill to abolish the Prosecutors' Office Act has passed and the launch of the Public Prosecution Service and the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency is planned, yet it is deplorable and bizarre that such a forum is being held on July 16," adding, "I hope the Democratic Party snaps out of it."
Later, as he left during the forum, the former leader told reporters, "(Prosecution reform) is a promise and a fundamental principle of our administration and the Democratic Party." He added, "If we fail at prosecution reform, the general election will become considerably difficult."
He also said, "The prosecution will engage in various media plays and shake (prosecution reform) by pointing to various problems with the police, which we already anticipated." He also questioned the media, saying, "Why do you report only the police's negative side," and added, "The harms the prosecution committed are 10 or 100 times greater; why are you now turning a blind eye to acts of covering up various crimes and cases, cases distorted and indicted, and cases that should not have been indicted but were?"
He went on, "The harms are far greater from a prosecution that monopolized and wielded investigation and indictment, concealing, fabricating and distorting cases," adding, "Saying we should give investigation powers back to the prosecution is another way of saying we should not pursue prosecution reform."