South Korea's National Assembly Legislation and Judiciary Committee passed an amendment to completely abolish the supplementary investigation authority of prosecutors [1].
This legislative move represents a significant shift in the balance of power within the South Korean legal system. By removing these powers, the bill seeks to implement broader judicial reforms and limit the overarching authority of the prosecution service.
The Democratic Party pushed for the measure to reduce prosecutorial power as part of a larger push for judicial reform [1], [3]. The move has sparked intense friction between the major political factions. While the Democratic Party led the push for the amendment [1], some reports suggest the party is still in a process of deliberation regarding its final specific positions [1].
Opposition members of the People Power Party protested the decision. An anonymous lawmaker from the People Power Party said, "We have walked out of the meeting room in protest of this vote" [1].
Prior to the committee's decision, approximately 10 members of the People Power Party expressed concerns regarding the current framework [2]. Some lawmakers argued that the supplementary investigation authority itself required refinement rather than total removal [2]. Rep. Song Young-gil (People Power Party) said that the task force's internal supplements must be handled properly [2].
Following the committee's approval [1], the amendment now moves toward a final vote in the plenary session [1]. This next step will determine if the reduction of prosecutorial power becomes law.
“The Democratic Party pushed for the measure to reduce prosecutorial power as part of a larger push for judicial reform.”
The passage of this bill in committee signals an escalating conflict over the role of the prosecution in South Korea. If the plenary session approves the measure, it will legally decouple the ability to investigate and supplement cases from the prosecution's primary role of indicting, effectively shifting the investigative center of gravity toward the police and reducing the potential for prosecutorial overreach.
