Kim Min-seok, a Democratic Party of Korea leadership contender and former prime minister, said on the 16th that the current leadership should wrap up the bill to abolish prosecutors' supplementary investigation authority by August.
Kim said on a broadcast that, as the Serious Crime Investigation Agency is launching on Oct. 2, the related amendment to the Criminal Procedure Act should be expedited.
Citing that other political schedules will follow the Aug. 17 party convention, Kim stressed, "It is best to handle it as quickly as possible under the current leadership."
On abolishing the supplementary investigation authority, Kim reaffirmed that the position had been the same since serving as prime minister.
Responding to writer Yoo Si-min's criticism that prosecution reform is being delayed, Kim countered that it was an excessive point, saying, "President Lee Jae-myung also agreed to abolish the supplementary investigation authority."
Regarding the pro-Roh coalition controversy during the 2002 presidential election, Kim said, "There was a misjudgment, and I will continue to apologize."