With a bill to amend the Criminal Procedure Act, centered on abolishing prosecutors' supplementary investigation authority, set for a floor vote this week, the rival parties clashed head-on again. The Democratic Party of Korea called it "the last piece of the puzzle for prosecutorial reform" and stressed its resolve to push it through, while the People Power Party blasted it as "agitprop demonizing the prosecution."
Floor leader Han Byeong-do of the Democratic Party of Korea said at a supreme council meeting on the morning of the 27th, "We will wrap up the amendment to the Criminal Procedure Act, the last piece of the puzzle for prosecutorial reform," adding, "At a general assembly, the Democratic Party adopted as its party line an amendment to the Criminal Procedure Act that makes the complete separation of investigation and prosecution the core."
Han also took aim at the People Power Party, saying, "The People Power Party is spewing out outrageous remarks like 'haggling' and 'treason' over the amendment to the Criminal Procedure Act," and, "They are stoking public anxiety with the preposterous claim that only by leaving investigative powers with prosecutors can we protect people's lives and safety."
He added, "It is none other than the People Power Party that has boycotted the National Assembly for nearly two months, cast aside livelihoods, and refused to take part in discussions on the Criminal Procedure Act."
Floor leader Jeong Jeom-sik of the People Power Party on the same morning directly rebutted the Democratic Party's offensive at the supreme council. He said, "When the People Power Party criticized abolishing supplementary investigation authority, they branded us as if we were trying to protect the prosecution's vested interests," adding, "The group truly engaging in agitation over supplementary investigation authority is the Democratic Party's former and current leadership."
Jeong said, "Floor leader Han mentioned the tragedy of failing to protect former President Roh Moo-hyun, and former leader Jung Chung-rae said he felt like tears would pour down if supplementary investigation authority is abolished," adding, "It is the Democratic Party that is stirring nostalgia for former President Roh among supporters and fanning the demonization of the prosecution."
He also said, "President Lee Jae-myung had been cautious about abolishing supplementary investigation authority but suddenly changed his position," adding, "Such a shift cannot be explained except by removing the cancellation of the indictment against President Lee." He continued, "The president can simply promise before the people that there will never be a cancellation of the indictment."
Meanwhile, the Democratic Party plans to push the amendment to the Criminal Procedure Act through at a plenary session on the 30th even without an agreement with the People Power Party.