Prosecution Office Act Passes National Assembly... Opposition Launches Filibuster Against Serious Crime Investigation Office Act

Bill Passed After Closing Unlimited Debate by Vote

On March 20, the Prosecution Office Act, one of the ruling party's prosecution reform bills, was passed at the plenary session of the National Assembly. The People Power Party plans to once again block the passage of the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency Act with a filibuster, as the ruling party intends to push the bill through as well.

The National Assembly convened a plenary session in the afternoon and, led by the ruling party, passed the Prosecution Office Act. The Democratic Party of Korea moved to a vote on the bill after ending the unlimited debate (filibuster) that the People Power Party had requested the previous day regarding the bill’s introduction.

Yonhap News Agency

The Prosecution Office Act abolishes the prosecution’s authority to direct and supervise special judicial police officers and limits prosecutors' duties by law. Going forward, the Prosecution Office will be exclusively responsible for indictments, and the grounds for dismissal are explicitly stipulated, allowing prosecutors to be dismissed without impeachment proceedings. However, the head of the Prosecution Office is still designated as the “Prosecutor General,” as the title remains in Article 89 of the Constitution.

Under this law, the duties of the Prosecution Office prosecutors are limited to the following: ▲Deciding whether to file indictments and matters necessary to maintain them ▲Matters necessary for requesting warrants ▲Consulting and supporting judicial police officers in criminal investigations ▲Requesting the proper application of the law to the courts ▲Directing and supervising the execution of trials ▲Representing or overseeing litigation and administrative lawsuits involving the state as a party or participant ▲Recovering criminal proceeds and carrying out international criminal judicial cooperation.

Yongmin Kim, a member of the National Assembly Legislation and Judiciary Committee from the Democratic Party, explained the proposal the previous day, stating, “Today marks the abolition of the prosecution office. The corrupt and political prosecution, which has never shone before the people in the past 78 years, is being abolished today.” He added, “Prosecution reform, which began with former President Kim Dae-jung’s statement, 'A just prosecution means a just nation,' is both a long-held wish of the democratic camp and a historic reform task for all citizens who yearn for the end of rebellion.”

Kim continued, “Although the prosecution office is being abolished, prosecution reform is not yet complete. It will only be completed through the full separation of investigation and prosecution, and the establishment of checks and balances.” The Prosecution Office Act will take effect on October 2, and the Prosecution Office and the Prosecutors’ Office Act will be abolished on the same day.

Meanwhile, at the plenary session on the same day, the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency Act was also introduced following the passage of the Prosecution Office Act. As the People Power Party is also opposed to this bill, it plans to apply for a filibuster to block it. The Democratic Party is expected to end the filibuster by vote after 24 hours, as stipulated by law, and pass the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency Act on the afternoon of March 21.

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