Former Local Bar Association Heads Say Prosecutors' Supplementary Investigation Rights Are "Safety Belt for Citizens"

▲ Supreme Prosecutors' Office

The Council of Former Local Bar Association Presidents, consisting of former heads of regional bar associations, announced today (July 29) that it opposes the abolition of prosecutors' supplementary investigation rights, calling them a vital "safety belt" to prevent unfair suffering among citizens.

In a statement released today, the group emphasized, "A prosecutor's supplementary investigation is a procedure that supplements the initial police investigation after a case is sent, corrects legal errors, and secures the appropriateness of indictment. By reviewing records from scratch, it serves as a verification device that minimizes damage caused by shoddy or overzealous investigations and enhances the completeness of prosecution."

Citing the case of Jang Yoon-ki, the murderer of a high school girl in Gwangju, the group stated, "If the prosecutors' supplementary investigation function had been blocked, the truth of the case would have been buried, leaving only the tears of the victim and the bereaved family. This is an example proving that supplementary investigation is a meticulous safety net realizing judicial justice."

They added, "While prosecutors' direct and cognized investigations can be restricted as much as possible, abolishing even the supplementary investigation function, which corrects errors in transferred cases, must be approached with caution. Criminal justice must operate with the purpose of protecting the public so as not to create unfair crime victims."

Previously, the Korean Bar Association also issued a statement on the 10th opposing the complete abolition of supplementary investigation rights.

Other lawyer groups, including Lawyers for Making a Good Law and Lawyers for Human Rights and Unification of Korea, have expressed the same stance.

The previous day, the Legislation and Judiciary Committee of the National Assembly held its 1st Subcommittee on Bill Examination and passed the amendment to the Criminal Procedure Act led by the ruling party.

The Democratic Party of Korea plans to process the subcommittee-passed amendment through the Legislation and Judiciary Committee plenary meeting today and bring it to a plenary session on the 30th.

(Photo: Yonhap News)

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