Kim Byungki of Democratic Party: "Prompt Revision of Breach of Trust Offense, Optimal Time for Reform"

Kim Byungki, acting leader and floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, stated, "We will promptly revise the breach of trust offense, which is a representative economic criminal penalty."

Kim Byungki, Acting Party Leader and Floor Leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is speaking at the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on August 1, 2025. Photo by Kim Hyunmin

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At the Supreme Council meeting of the Democratic Party held at the National Assembly in Yeouido on August 1, Kim said, "Now that there is a consensus on institutional reform, this is the right time for change." He added, "President Lee Jaemyung has instructed institutional improvements regarding the abuse of the breach of trust offense, which discourages business activities, and the National Assembly also recognizes the seriousness of this issue. This is also a matter where cooperation between the party, government, and the presidential office has been established."

Kim explained, "Economic criminal penalties, which handle illegal economic matters through criminal punishment, are actually a legacy of past military dictatorship regimes," and added, "In most countries, such issues are sanctioned through civil liability for damages."

He continued, "When listening to business owners' concerns, they are worried about the breach of trust offense itself, but they are even more concerned about the prosecution's excessive use of the breach of trust offense." He said, "While the courts limit the application of the breach of trust offense to cases where business decisions were made through board procedures, the prosecution has pressured businesspeople by abusing investigations and indictments for breach of trust, despite court precedents."

He further added, "Recognizing this problem, the Ministry of Justice has provided the Supreme Prosecutors' Office with guidelines to prevent the abuse of investigations and indictments for breach of trust."

Kim stated, "First, we will gather various opinions based on the premise of strengthening responsibility for people's livelihoods and prepare the optimal solution. Furthermore, we will continue to supplement legislation in close communication with the government's Economic Criminal Penalty Rationalization Task Force (TF) if there are any shortcomings."

In conclusion, he emphasized, "The Democratic Party will strengthen civil liability instead of economic criminal penalties, so that both economic criminal penalties and economic justice can be achieved together. The Lee Jaemyung administration, which is a practical market-oriented government, will surely realize a fair and growing Republic of Korea as promised."

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