Kwak Sang-eon of the Democratic Party of Korea, the son-in-law of the late former President Roh Moo-hyun, cast a nay vote on the 31st against a Criminal Procedure Act amendment that would abolish prosecutors' direct investigation authority and supplementary investigation authority.
At a plenary session that day, the National Assembly passed the Criminal Procedure Act amendment with 175 votes in favor, two against, and one abstention out of 178 lawmakers present. Lawmaker Kwak and Reform Party lawmaker Lee Ju-young voted against it, and Democratic Party lawmaker Lee So-young abstained.
Immediately after the plenary session, Kwak wrote on Facebook, "The looming pain of the people is visible, and the people's tears can be heard, so I had no other choice," explaining why he broke with the party line to vote against the bill.
At a general meeting of its lawmakers on the 24th, the Democratic Party adopted as its party line a Criminal Procedure Act amendment that abolishes prosecutors' direct investigation authority, including supplementary investigation authority. The amendment would consolidate investigative authority under judicial police officers and allow prosecutors to request supplementary investigations from police.
Kwak joined as a co-sponsor of Democratic Party lawmaker Hong Ki-won's Criminal Procedure Act amendment, which would allow prosecutors' supplementary investigations only for crimes against socially vulnerable people.
At a related forum on the 23rd, Kwak also directed remarks at Han Byeong-do, the Democratic Party's acting leader and floor leader, who had signaled a full abolition of supplementary investigation authority, saying, "Creating a system is not about settling personal grudges," and, "The purpose of creating a judicial system and conducting investigations is to protect crime victims and keep the public safe."