The National Assembly, led by the Democratic Party, put on the floor a bill to amend the Criminal Procedure Act that abolishes prosecutors' supplementary investigation authority. The People Power Party launched a filibuster—an unlimited debate to lawfully block proceedings—in protest of the ruling party's unilateral handling.
On the afternoon of the 30th, the National Assembly convened a plenary session and introduced a bill to amend the Criminal Procedure Act centered on abolishing prosecutors' supplementary investigation authority.
The amendment includes a ban on all direct investigations by prosecutors, including supplementary investigations. Instead of having supplementary investigation authority, prosecutors would have the right to demand supplementary investigations from judicial police officers, and police would have to conduct the supplementary investigation within one month at the prosecutor's request. If it is difficult to complete the investigation, the period may be extended by one month.
Complainants, accusers, and victims may file an objection to a police decision not to refer a case, and they are also granted the right to view and copy the case records necessary for the objection. The measure also includes digitizing all investigative materials and entering them into the Criminal Justice Information System (KICS).
As the amendment adds grounds for a judgment of dismissal of prosecution under Article 327 of the Criminal Procedure Act, a war of words between the ruling and opposition parties continues. A dismissal of prosecution can be ordered by the court in the first instance as well as in the second and third instances, and the Democratic Party added as grounds for dismissal "when the prosecution is initiated based on a seriously unlawful investigation" and "when the prosecution is initiated in a way that significantly deviates from prosecutorial discretion."
Kim Seung-won of the Democratic Party of Korea, a secretary of The National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee, pushed back in his proposal explanation against the opposition bloc's claim of a "neutralization of the president's trial." Kim said, "The political offensive based on a malicious frame that this is a hasty revision for a specific individual is by no means true."
The People Power Party opposed the Criminal Procedure Act amendment and responded with a filibuster. Six-term lawmaker Joo Ho-young took the floor as the first filibuster speaker. After that, People Power Party lawmakers Park Hyung-soo, Kim Tae-gyu, and Na Kyung-won will continue the filibuster.
During the filibuster, Joo argued, "If this law passes, enormous difficulties are expected to the extent that the people and the nation will be ruined," adding, "If the law does not pass, the Democratic Party may be noisy, but we must make a choice that helps the people and the nation." He added, "I assert that the Democratic Party administration will face a major crisis over this."
The Democratic Party plans on the 31st to forcibly end the People Power Party's filibuster and move to pass the bill. A filibuster can be brought to a vote 24 hours after a motion to end it is submitted with signatures from at least one-third of all members. It is then forcibly ended if at least three-fifths of all members vote in favor.