SCIO Bill Passes Judiciary Committee Led by Ruling Party... People Power Party Abstains from Vote

The bill to establish the Serious Crime Investigation Office (SCIO), pushed forward by the Democratic Party of Korea, passed the Legislation and Judiciary Committee of the National Assembly on March 18.

On this day, the Legislation and Judiciary Committee held a plenary session at the National Assembly and approved the bill to establish the SCIO, led by the Democratic Party and opposition members with pro-government tendencies. Lawmakers from the People Power Party, in protest against the passage of the bill, abstained from the vote and exited the session.

On the 18th, at the plenary meeting of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee held at the National Assembly, lawmakers including Na Kyung-won of the People Power Party were leaving the meeting room to abstain from voting on the establishment bill of the Serious Crime Investigation Agency. Photo by Yonhap News

The SCIO Act is a follow-up bill to the prosecution reform, which was led by the ruling bloc after the abolition of the Prosecutors’ Office. It stipulates the overall operational requirements for the newly established SCIO, including its organizational structure, scope of duties, and personnel matters.

The SCIO will be established as an agency under the Minister of the Interior and Safety, and its main investigative targets will be six major crimes: corruption, economic crimes, defense industry crimes, drug offenses, crimes related to rebellion and treason, and cybercrimes. Additionally, cases of so-called judicial distortion, crimes committed by personnel of the Prosecution Office, the police, the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO), and court officials while in office will also fall under the jurisdiction of the SCIO.

The government’s original clause requiring the SCIO to notify the Prosecution Office upon commencing an investigation was deleted in the final version agreed upon by the party, the government, and the presidential office.

The SCIO will take effect starting October 2, and the current Prosecutors’ Office Act will be abolished.

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