The Supreme Prosecutors' Office said it is concerned that the special counsel bill on the Yoon Suk-yeol administration's alleged fabricated investigations and indictments, proposed by the Democratic Party of Korea, could undermine the independence of the judiciary.
The Supreme Prosecutors' Office said on the 30th, "The enactment of a bill is, in principle, a matter for the legislature to decide," but added, "It is true that there are concerns that investigating matters that should be verified in ongoing trials could unduly affect the independence of the judiciary."
It added, "We hope that, during the upcoming committee review, in-depth discussions will proceed to ensure there is no improper intervention in cases with final rulings or cases still on trial."
On the day, acting floor leader Cheon Jun-ho of the Democratic Party, Park Sung-joon, the ruling party secretary of the Special Committee on the National Investigation, and Lee Geon-tae, a Commissioner on the committee, submitted to the National Assembly the "Act on the Appointment of a Special Prosecutor to Uncover the Truth Behind Allegations of Fabricated Investigations and Indictments by the Prosecution Service, National Intelligence Service, and Board of Audit and Inspection under the Yoon Suk-yeol Administration."
The bill designates as targets of the special counsel's investigation the prosecution's investigation and indictment processes in the Daejang-dong and Wirye New Town development corruption cases; the alleged bribery case involving Kim Yong, former deputy head of the Institute for Democracy; the SSANGBANGWOOL remittances to North Korea case; the alleged manipulation of real estate and other statistics; the killing of a public official in the West Sea; and the alleged false reporting intended to defame former President Yoon Suk-yeol.
The bill also states that if the special counsel deems it necessary in light of the progress of the investigation, the special counsel may request the transfer of cases in which prosecutors are conducting investigations, indictments, or maintaining prosecutions, and the requested agencies must comply.
A provision was also included requiring the special counsel to handle the maintenance of prosecutions in transferred cases. The bill specifies that the maintenance of prosecutions includes decisions on whether to maintain the prosecution.