Minister Jung Sung-ho of the Ministry of Justice on the 14th addressed controversy stirred by claims within the ruling bloc that prosecutors in the Public Prosecution Office should not have supplemental investigation authority, saying, "In the National Assembly, not only our party but also our people must now have a good discussion about which system is best for the people."
Meeting reporters on the way to work at the Ministry of Justice in the Government Complex Gwacheon that day, the Minister said, "Rather than saying what is good and what is evil, the president, before departing the country, said he hoped there would be 'deliberation,'" adding the same.
The Blue House said that President Lee Jae-myung the previous day instructed, "With regard to prosecutorial reform and supplemental investigation authority, the party should ensure sufficient discussion and deliberation, and the government should gather those views."
The instruction came as the task force for prosecutorial reform under the Prime Minister's Office on the 12th gave advance notice of legislation for bills on the Public Prosecution Office and the Serious Crimes Investigation Office (SCIO) that in principle separate investigation and indictment, prompting pushback from hard-liners within the Democratic Party of Korea and the Rebuilding Korea Party. The government has not yet decided whether to allow prosecutors at the Public Prosecution Office to conduct supplemental investigations. It said the matter will be discussed during the process of amending the Criminal Procedure Act.
Not only hard-liners in the ruling bloc but also Prime Minister Kim Min-seok wrote on Facebook on the 13th, "Regarding supplemental investigation authority, we have consistently stated that abolition is the principle," adding, "We will do our best to prepare a final plan that preserves the essence of prosecutorial reform." Asked about this, the Minister said, "I am not sure what the prime minister meant."
Appearing at a full session of The National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee on the 12th, the Minister responded to criticism of the prosecutorial reform plan and the prosecution by Kim Yong-min, a lawmaker of the Democratic Party of Korea, saying, "The prosecution under the Lee Jae-myung administration is not like that. It will not be run like the prosecution under the Yoon Suk-yeol administration." He added, "I hope people do not hold the view that every member of the prosecution is a criminal."
Regarding that remark, the Minister said that day, "Since the launch of the Lee Jae-myung administration, the prosecution has already been operating in line with the intent of separating investigation and indictment," adding, "During the Moon Jae-in administration, the prosecution strongly resisted reform, but now it is faithfully carrying out its original duty in line with the president's policy direction."
The Minister said, "President Lee Jae-myung suffered from the prosecution no less than former President Kim Dae-jung," adding, "More than anyone, he is convinced that the prosecution must be reborn as an institution that serves the people, protects the safety of the people, and is faithful to its original duty."
He went on, "The government's current bill also came after much deliberation, but there will still be shortcomings," adding, "I hope those points will be discussed calmly in the National Assembly together with the people."
Leaders of the ruling bloc also argue that prosecutors at the Public Prosecution Office should not have supplemental investigation authority. Democratic Party leader Jung Chung-rae appeared on a YouTube broadcast the previous day and said, "Regarding prosecutorial reform, separating investigation and indictment is the overarching principle, and if the Prosecution Service is abolished, prosecutors should only maintain indictments."
On the proposal to divide SCIO personnel into "investigative judicial officers," drawn from those with legal backgrounds, and "professional investigators," drawn from non-lawyers, leader Jung said, "Lawmakers in the party believe it is not desirable, and the Supreme Council members think the same."