[Anchor]
The amendment to the Criminal Procedure Act, which completely abolishes supplementary investigation powers and expands the grounds for the dismissal of indictments, was submitted to the plenary session of the National Assembly today (July 30). While the Democratic Party expressed expectations that public rights, interests, and human rights protections will be expanded, the People Power Party has entered into an unlimited debate, or filibuster, arguing that abandoning public safety for political self-interest is taking place.
Reporter Go Jeong-hyeon has the details.
[Reporter]
The amendment to the Criminal Procedure Act, which completely abolishes prosecutors' direct investigative powers including supplementary investigations, was submitted to the plenary session of the National Assembly this afternoon.
[Han Byung-do / Democratic Party Floor Leader]: Our Criminal Procedure Act is shedding its 70-year-old worn-out clothes and changing into new clothes that protect public rights, interests, and human rights. We have prepared much tighter and stronger safeguards to protect victims.
The Democratic Party emphasized that the police oversight function and victim rights remedy procedures have been significantly strengthened, and urged the People Power Party, which opposes the bill, to stop obstructing prosecution reform.
Regarding the growing criticism, mainly led by the pan-opposition parties, over the addition of grounds such as serious illegal investigations and deviations of prosecution discretionary power for courts to dismiss indictments, members of the judiciary committee belonging to the pan-ruling coalition detailed their refutations.
They stated that it merely codifies existing Supreme Court precedents that have already ruled on dismissing indictments, serving as a safety device to protect the public from illegal investigations and the abuse of indictment powers.
However, the People Power Party criticized that the Democratic Party, filled with a desire for revenge against the prosecution, has predetermined the abolition of supplementary investigation powers and is merely going through formal procedures.
They raised their voices, claiming that political backroom dealings are taking place to rally hard-line supporters ahead of the party convention.
They claimed this is a backside agreement between President Lee Jae-myung, who wants the cancellation of suspended criminal trials, and hard-liners within the Democratic Party who seek to dismantle the prosecution.
[Chung Jeom-sik / People Power Party Floor Leader]: If the Democratic Party packages the abolition of supplementary investigation powers and the dismissal of indictments together, passes them through the plenary session, and waives the right to request reconsideration, this political backroom deal will be complete.
As soon as the amendment to the Criminal Procedure Act was submitted to the plenary session of the National Assembly, the People Power Party entered into an unlimited debate, or filibuster, starting with lawmaker Joo Ho-young.
The Democratic Party plans to rally pan-ruling coalition lawmakers 24 hours later tomorrow afternoon to terminate the filibuster and process the amendment to the Criminal Procedure Act.
(Photo courtesy of Yonhap News / Video: Oh Young-chun, Lee Seung-hwan / Video Editing: Park Seon-su)
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