[Anchor]
The Democratic Party has solidified its stance on abolishing the prosecutors' supplementary investigation powers. Legislation is expected to be completed before the national convention on August 17.
Reporter Park Jae-yeon has the details.
[Reporter]
Just yesterday, a mere day after a policy general meeting to listen to experts' opinions ended, the Democratic Party leadership hinted that it has leaned toward the complete abolition of prosecutors' supplementary investigation powers, stating that it gathered diverse opinions and engaged in fierce debate.
[Han Byung-do / DPK Floor Leader: Prosecutors do not investigate. There is no disagreement whatsoever within the party on this grand principle.]
Despite growing concerns over the abolition of supplementary investigation powers triggered by cases such as the "Jang Yoon-gi case," the party maintained that "making the right to demand supplementary investigation substantial" is its sole alternative.
[Han Byung-do / DPK Floor Leader: Looking back at the dark history of the prosecution in the past, we can see that the claim that prosecutors must directly investigate to protect victims is not true.]
Professor Park Chan-woon of Hanyang University Law School, who expressed opposition to the abolition during the policy general meeting the day before yesterday, criticized on social media to the effect that the deliberation process was merely for show, writing, "Those who wanted to listen had already decided on the answer, and the hearts of those who need to decide lie elsewhere," and "(Lawmakers) also mentioned that they cannot help but be mindful of hardline party members amid the race for party leadership."
In the Legislation and Judiciary Committee subcommittee reviewing the bill to abolish supplementary investigation powers yesterday, pan-ruling camp hardline lawmakers continued to argue that leaving supplementary investigation powers intact could lead to abuse by prosecutors.
Previously, pan-ruling camp lawmakers visited the Cheongju District Prosecutors' Office to protest, taking issue with the prosecution's dismissal of a communication warrant for former Cheongju City Councilman Choi Young-jung, who is accused of minor prostitution.
The Democratic Party, having leaned toward complete abolition, has also set the deadline for processing the bill before the August 17 national convention.
[Kang Jun-hyun / DPK Senior Spokesperson: There is a stance that we should handle it to the extent that we do not cross the national convention as much as possible.]
It is also analyzed that the party decided on a prompt handling because if the survival or abolition of supplementary investigation powers becomes intertwined with the advantages and disadvantages of candidates ahead of the national convention to elect the next leader, divisions within the ruling camp could intensify further. Consequently, speculations arise that the abolition bill could be processed led by the pan-ruling camp as early as next week.
(Photo: Yonhap News)
(Video reporting: Oh Young-chun, Shin Dong-hwan, Kim Yong-woo | Video editing: Yu Mi-ra | Design: Jang Chae-woo)
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