[Anchor] With the Democratic Party's national convention just one month away, the issue of the prosecution's supplementary investigation rights has become a flashpoint for conflict. Tensions within the ruling bloc are deepening, compounded by remarks from writer Rhu Si-min, who blamed President Lee Jae-myung for the delay in prosecution reform. Reporter Kim Kwan-jin has the story. [Reporter] At a debate on the revision of the Criminal Procedure Act, attended by lawmakers from the pan-ruling bloc classified as hardliners on prosecution reform: Former Democratic Party leader Jung Chung-rae raised his voice in favor of the complete abolition of the prosecution's supplementary investigation rights. [Jung Chung-rae/Former Democratic Party Leader: It will be a breach of promise to the public, a failure to keep the promise made not only by the Democratic Party but by the entire democratic reform camp.] On the other hand, Representative Hong Ki-won, who proposed a bill to allow limited supplementary investigation rights, repeatedly emphasized the protection of victims. [Hong Ki-won/Democratic Party Representative (YouTube 'Kim Ou-joon's Humility is Hard News Factory'): (Supplementary investigation rights) will provide stronger relief for victims, especially those who are socially vulnerable, compared to when they do not exist. I hope we can deliberate more on the additional suffering that victims might face.] The conflict within the pan-ruling bloc over supplementary investigation rights has intensified following remarks made yesterday (July 15) by writer Rhu Si-min, who stated, "The reason prosecution reform has not been achieved is that President Lee Jae-myung does not want the separation of investigation and indictment." The Blue House stated it would not respond separately, but effectively dismissed Rhu's claims, asserting that the Blue House and President Lee Jae-myung have never wavered in their commitment to the core value of prosecution reform: the separation of investigation and indictment. [Kang Yu-jung/Chief Spokesperson for the Blue House: We do not hold a separate position or respond to the remarks of any specific individual.] Among the candidates for party leadership, former Prime Minister Kim Min-seok criticized Rhu, saying his comments went beyond the realm of conventional commentary. [Kim Min-seok/Former Prime Minister: You have strongly attacked presidents of the democratic camp several times. And those attacks were not always correct.] Former leader Song Young-gil and Representative Ko Min-jung also joined in. [Song Young-gil/Former Democratic Party Leader: Expressing things in a way that sounds like curses or vitriol is not appropriate.] [Ko Min-jung/Democratic Party Representative: I believe that trying to divide everything into good and evil is actually a path to failure.] While former leader Jung declined to comment on Rhu, he responded by saying, "Prosecution reform is the identity of the Democratic Party, and if it fails, the next general election will also be difficult." With the August 17 national convention one month away, concerns are rising that as supplementary investigation rights become a flashpoint for conflict within the ruling bloc, deliberation and debate may become even more difficult. (Video reporting: Oh Young-chun, Kim Yong-woo | Video editing: Yoo Mi-ra | Design: Choi Jin-hoe)
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