Democratic Party Proposes Amendments to Prosecutors' Office Act and Criminal Procedure Act... Launching Effort for 'April National Assembly Passage'

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[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jun-yi] The Democratic Party of Korea has proposed amendments to the Prosecutors' Office Act and the Criminal Procedure Act to promote prosecution reform. The bill includes provisions to separate the investigative authority over six major crimes granted to the prosecution and to guarantee supplementary investigative authority to the police.

On the 15th, Democratic Party lawmakers Park Chan-dae, Kim Yong-min, and Oh Young-hwan submitted partial amendments to the Prosecutors' Office Act and the Criminal Procedure Act to the National Assembly's main building legislative affairs office and held a briefing session with reporters for Q&A. At the briefing, lawmakers Park Joo-min and Choi Kang-wook, who are secretaries of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, were also present.

Lawmaker Park explained the bill submitted that day, saying, "It prohibits direct investigation of the so-called six major crimes," and added, "Even after the police transfer the case or send the records, the law was changed so that supplementary investigations are conducted through the police rather than direct investigations."

He continued, "However, to ensure mutual checks and balances between investigative agencies, the prosecution can continue to investigate police officers and officials belonging to the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO)," and added, "A structure was created so that the police, prosecution, and CIO can cooperate while also checking each other."

Regarding the plan to have a grace period between the enactment and enforcement of the bill, he stated, "As discussed and decided at the party members' general meeting, the bill was submitted with a three-month period." Along with this, Lawmaker Choi explained, "It was confirmed that the number of investigations of the six major crimes currently conducted by prosecutors was only about 4,000 to 5,000 cases last year," and added, "The three-month grace period was set with the meaning that this is enough time to transfer these cases to the prosecution."

In response to concerns about investigative gaps, Lawmaker Choi rebutted, "If you look at the actual numbers, the police have conducted far more investigations," and said, "The cases involving People Power Party lawmakers Kim Seon-kyo and Jeong Chan-min that you know are all police investigations. The election law violation case of the Anseong mayor is also a police investigation case." He added, "However, the Prosecutors' Office Act had stipulated that prosecutors were given priority investigative authority. This amendment clarifies that."

Regarding criticism that "investigations may be delayed due to police incompetence," Lawmaker Kim explained, "Currently, investigations by both the prosecution and police must be undergone twice, but in the future, only police investigations will be required," and said, "From the suspect's perspective, since they only have to undergo one investigation, the investigation can be completed faster." He also noted, "Currently, the police have more than 200 lawyers hired," and added, "It would be good to consider that police officers now bear a much greater sense of weight and responsibility as the final person in charge of police investigations."

Regarding the Justice Party's proposal for consultation through a National Assembly discussion body, he responded, "I believe it is necessary to include the People Power Party and the Justice Party to comprehensively review, discuss, and create a new body."

The Democratic Party decided to pursue the 'Complete Removal of Prosecution's Investigative Authority' (검수완박) bill as a party stance through a policy party members' general meeting on the 12th and plans to push for its passage within April.

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