Former Presidents of the Korean Bar Association: "Prosecutor Reform Law is 'Legislation for Self-Protection'"

Chairmen 10 People "Before Regime Change, Stripping Prosecutors' Investigation Rights from the Ruling Party... Whose Law Is This?"
Geomsu Wanbak Bill Goes Against Global Trends... "Most Advanced Countries Recognize Prosecutors' Investigations"

Former President of the Korean Bar Association, Kim Hyun. / Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Kyung-jun] Ten former presidents of the Korean Bar Association have opposed the Democratic Party's proposed bill for ‘Geomsu Wanbak (Complete Removal of Prosecutorial Investigation Authority)’.

On the 19th, the ten former Bar Association presidents issued a statement declaring that completely stripping the prosecution of its investigative authority is unconstitutional. The statement included the names of former presidents Kim Doo-hyun, Park Seung-seo, Ham Jung-ho, Jung Jae-heon, Cheon Ki-hong, Lee Jin-gang, Shin Young-moo, Ha Chang-woo, Kim Hyun, and Lee Chan-hee.

They emphasized, "In continental law systems like ours, the prosecution functions to uncover the substance of crimes before trial, and to reveal the substance of crimes, investigative authority is necessary," adding, "Most advanced countries recognize the prosecutor's direct investigative function, so the Geomsu Wanbak bill runs counter to global trends."

They continued, "If investigative authority is given to the police or the Serious Crime Investigation Agency without any checks and balances, investigations become vulnerable to external pressure, which does not help in discovering substantive truth or realizing justice," and added, "If the prosecution cannot investigate major corruption and power-related crimes, it only benefits criminals, undermines the state's ability to respond to serious crimes, and ultimately weakens protection for the public and victims."

The former Bar Association presidents criticized the Democratic Party's push for the Geomsu Wanbak bill as ‘self-serving legislation.’ They stated, "Legislation by the ruling party without compromise or negotiation with the opposition is legislative dictatorship," and warned, "The ruling party's attempt to strip prosecutorial investigative authority just before a regime change is sufficiently suspected as self-serving legislation by the current ruling power."

They concluded, "For whom exactly is the Geomsu Wanbak legislation intended?" and urged, "The Democratic Party must immediately halt this unconstitutional legislative push that threatens the people's freedom and human rights."

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