South Korea's Legislation and Judiciary Committee began reviewing a bill to abolish the prosecution's power to conduct supplemental investigations on July 10 [1].
This legislative move represents a significant shift in the balance of criminal investigative power. By stripping prosecutors of the ability to conduct these investigations, the Democratic Party of Korea aims to accelerate prosecutorial reform and increase the effectiveness of requests for re-investigation.
The process is being led by a Democratic Party task force. The committee is currently examining amendments to the Criminal Procedure Act to facilitate this transition [1]. The push comes amid a period of heightened political tension, as the move coincides with intensifying competition for party leadership and disciplinary disputes between political factions [1].
Rep. Seo Young-kyo said the goal is to process the legislation with a sense of speed to achieve a "great reform" of the prosecution [1]. The Democratic Party task force said the changes would "increase the effectiveness of the right to request supplemental and re-investigations" [1].
However, the legislative effort faces opposition from the People Power Party [1]. There are also conflicting reports regarding the executive branch's role in the process. While the committee is reviewing the bill, other reports indicate that the government does not intend to submit its own official government proposal to the National Assembly regarding the abolition of these powers [2].
Despite this, some government officials have previously signaled a firm stance on the issue. Prime Minister Kim Min-seok said the government's basic position was to completely abolish the prosecution's supplemental investigation power without making exceptions [2].
“검찰 대개혁…속도감 있게 법안 처리”
The push to remove supplemental investigation powers is part of a broader, long-term effort in South Korea to separate the powers of investigation and indictment. By limiting the prosecution's role, the Democratic Party seeks to reduce the perceived overreach of prosecutors in political cases. However, the contradiction between the legislative push and the government's reluctance to submit a formal bill suggests a fragmented approach to reform that may lead to a legislative stalemate or a highly contested floor vote.
