[Exclusive] Democratic Party to Push for 'Geomsu Wanbak' Legislative Hearing Next Month... Lee Nak-yeon Says "Must Legislate Within the Year"

Senior Supreme Council Member Kim Yong-min "Will Discuss Whether to Summon Witnesses Related to Symbolic Incident"
Lee Nak-yeon "Possibility Becomes Remote After This Year... Strike While the Iron Is Hot"

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Cheol-eung] The Democratic Party of Korea is pushing to hold a legislative hearing next month to pass the 'Complete Removal of Prosecutorial Investigation Rights' (검수완박) bill. Reformist lawmakers within the party argue that prosecutorial reform must be finalized before the presidential election. The Democratic Party leadership has mentioned calling former Prime Minister Han Myeong-sook’s case, a representative example of prosecutorial abuse of investigative power, and has also suggested summoning former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl as a witness. Former Democratic Party leader Lee Nak-yeon is gaining momentum by proposing the passage of the bill separating prosecutorial indictment and investigation rights within this year to other party candidates.

Kim Yong-min, a senior Supreme Council member of the Democratic Party and a member of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, told Asia Economy on the 19th, "We are promoting a legislative hearing on prosecutorial reform at the Legislation and Judiciary Committee level, and it seems it can be held next month." He added, "Whether to call witnesses related to symbolic cases demonstrating the necessity of prosecutorial reform, or to summon experts and officials from the Ministry of Justice and prosecution, will be decided through consultation with the opposition party."

He continued, "Interest in prosecutorial reform is rising again, and since some opposition presidential candidates have made similar claims, the goal should be to pass prosecutorial reform bills before the presidential election."

The main prosecutorial reform plan within the Democratic Party is to completely abolish the prosecution’s investigative rights over six major crimes (corruption, economic crimes, public officials, elections, defense projects, and major disasters) that remain even after the adjustment of investigative rights between the police and prosecution, and transfer them to a separate agency. On the 17th, Hong Jun-pyo, a People Power Party lawmaker who declared his presidential candidacy, pledged to maintain the prosecution’s investigative rights only as a supplementary function for maintaining prosecution and to establish an independent National Police Investigation Bureau to be the center of all investigations.

The Ministry of Justice announced last month that inappropriate investigative practices by the prosecution were confirmed in relation to the alleged witness tampering in the case of former Prime Minister Han Myeong-sook. In response, former Prosecutor General Yoon said, "No illegalities were revealed during the investigation process, even under excessive inspection," and added, "If you feel so wronged, you can apply for a retrial." Then, Democratic Party floor leader Yoon Ho-jung responded, "Let’s hold a legislative hearing and summon the related parties involved in the controversial witness tampering case as witnesses to clarify the facts. If former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl is also selected as a witness, he should come to the National Assembly and make his claims. Let’s use the legislative hearing as an opportunity to confirm why the prosecution’s investigative and indictment rights should be separated."

Also, former leader Lee said on a YouTube broadcast the previous night, "I hope all our candidates agree on the institutional processing of the complete separation of investigative and indictment rights within this year and proceed with the procedure to propose it to the leadership." He emphasized, "I hope the leadership shares the same view and makes a decision to pass the bill for the complete separation of investigative and indictment rights within the regular National Assembly session. If we delay and let this year pass, the separation of investigative and indictment rights may become unlikely." He added, "Like striking while the iron is hot, I hope the candidates unite their minds and act now."

Former Minister of Justice Chu Mi-ae has recently advocated for the passage of related bills at forums, and former leader Lee has actively responded with proposals. Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung has also shown a principled agreement.

Former Minister Chu recently wrote on Facebook, "I proposed to immediately introduce the prosecutorial reform bill (separation of investigative and indictment rights and establishment of the Serious Crime Investigation Agency) and pass it during this year’s regular National Assembly session." She added, "At yesterday’s (forum) site, candidate Lee Jae-myung said he would do so, and candidate Jeon Se-gyun said he is not a lawmaker but agreed to discuss it. Candidate Kim Du-kwan is a usual advocate of prosecutorial reform, so I believe he will naturally agree. Candidate Lee Nak-yeon said he would consult with lawmakers, so I hope he makes a decision soon." Since the Democratic Party holds a majority of seats, it is argued that if major presidential candidates agree, the bill can be passed this year.

Related bills by Democratic Party lawmakers have also recently reemerged. On the 12th, lawmaker Hwang Un-ha introduced a revision bill to the Criminal Procedure Act, including deleting provisions related to direct investigations by the prosecution. Reform group 'Cheoreomhoe' lawmakers, including Kim Yong-min and Open Democratic Party leader Choi Kang-wook, were co-sponsors. They have argued that a separate Serious Crime Investigation Agency should be established to handle the six major crimes. On the same day, Hwang also introduced amendments to the Hearing Act and the National Assembly Act to add the head of the Serious Crime Investigation Agency as a candidate subject to confirmation hearings.

The Democratic Party’s Special Committee on Prosecutorial Reform, formed at the end of last year, actively promoted 'Complete Removal of Prosecutorial Investigation Rights' by proposing the abolition of the Prosecutors’ Office Act and the establishment of the Serious Crime Investigation Agency. However, after the Democratic Party’s defeat in the April 7 by-elections and the new party leader Song Young-gil’s decision not to reactivate the special committee, the issue went into a lull but has recently been reignited. It is expected that once the currently vacant chairperson of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee is appointed soon, they will be appointed as the special committee chairperson and the committee will be reactivated.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.