Architect of 'Abolition of Supplementary Investigation Rights'... Accelerating 'Cancellation of Indictment'?

[Anchor]

DPK lawmaker Kim Seung-won, who has been nominated as the new Minister of Justice, has been actively working to push for a special counsel probe into allegations of fabricated indictments that could lead to the cancellation of the indictment in President Lee Jae-myung's case. He is also a hardliner who designed the current criminal justice system that completely strips prosecutors of their supplementary investigation rights.

Reporter Kwon Ji-yoon has the details.

[Reporter]

DPK lawmaker Kim Seung-won was chosen as the Minister of Justice nominee six days after former Minister Jung Sung-ho's resignation was accepted.

Born in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, and a former judge, nominee Kim Seung-won was listed on the defense team for a key figure in the Daejang-dong case back in 2015, and currently serves as the secretary of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee in the National Assembly.

[Kim Seung-won/Minister of Justice Nominee: There will be various tasks such as changing the criminal justice system for the first time in 70 years, and (I will work hard) to promote them well.]

The presidential office explained that the background for the appointment is the "settlement of the new criminal justice system," including the launch of the Prosecution Service in October.

Nominee Kim is regarded as the architect of the revised Criminal Procedure Act, which completely abolishes prosecutors' supplementary investigation rights, and is a leading hardliner for judicial reform.

His views sharply contrast with those of former Minister Jung, who had expressed a "cautious approach" during the revision process of the Criminal Procedure Act.

[Jung Sung-ho/Former Minister of Justice (on the 3rd): This is probably the first time the Criminal Procedure Act has been amended at the speed of light. No one can predict what kind of side effects will arise or how properly it will function in the field.]

[Kim Seung-won/Minister of Justice Nominee (on the 30th of last month, National Assembly Plenary Session): (The revised Criminal Procedure Act) is designed to not only ensure an effective response to crimes but also strengthen the protection of the people's human rights, thereby expanding the procedural rights of crime victims.]

Nominee Kim also co-led the "Lawmakers' Association for Promoting the Cancellation of Indictment and Parliamentary Investigation into President Lee Jae-myung's Case," also known as "Gong-chwi-mo," and is active in pushing for a related special counsel investigation.

[Kim Seung-won/Minister of Justice Nominee (April 30): Now is the time for a special counsel. We must (prove) the truth that even political prosecutors will be punished if they do wrong.]

Regarding nominee Kim's nomination, the People Power Party poured out sharp criticisms, calling him "a minister picked to take the bullet for canceling the trial" and "the vanguard for the special counsel to cancel the indictment."

(Camera: Shin Dong-hwan | Video Editing: Park Sun-su)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.