DP Pushes to Abolish Supplementary Investigation Rights, While PPP Makes Retention Its Official Party Platform

[Anchor]

Following the Jang Yoon-gi case, concerns are growing over the abolition of the prosecution's supplementary investigation rights. However, the Democratic Party of Korea is accelerating the review of a bill to amend the Criminal Procedure Act that includes these changes. In response, the People Power Party has decided to counter by proposing a bill as its official party platform that would maintain these supplementary investigation rights.

Reporter Park Chan-beom reports.

[Reporter]

With members of the People Power Party absent, lawmakers from the Democratic Party and other pro-ruling coalition parties held a subcommittee meeting of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee today (July 13). They stated they intend to hold two or three meetings this week alone, accelerating the review of the amendment to the Criminal Procedure Act, which centers on the abolition of supplementary investigation rights.

However, seemingly conscious of concerns regarding the abolition, they are also reviewing additional supplementary measures such as the digitalization of investigation materials and an investigation real-name system.

[Kim Seung-won / Executive Secretary of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee (Democratic Party): We are reviewing the overall criminal justice system to ensure it is the most efficient and fair for those involved in cases...]

Meanwhile, Representative Hong Ki-won of the Democratic Party has decided to propose a bill that would allow for exceptions to the supplementary investigation rights in cases such as sex crimes or voice phishing. In a letter sent to fellow lawmakers, he emphasized that a total ban on supplementary investigations would inevitably lead to delays in case processing, which would only increase the suffering of victims.

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The People Power Party has countered the Democratic Party's attempt to amend the law by announcing it will propose an amendment as its official party platform that maintains supplementary investigation rights.

[Let's protect the supplementary investigation rights! Let's protect them!]

The party also decided to adopt a plan to delay the implementation of the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency Act and the Public Prosecution Service Act, which are set to take effect in October of this year, by one year.

[Jeong Jeom-sik / Floor Leader of the People Power Party: If the dismantling of the prosecution and the abolition of supplementary investigation rights had taken place in 1987, the official cause of death for Park Jong-chul would have been recorded as an unexplained heart attack.]

To prevent the recurrence of incidents like the Jang Yoon-gi case, the People Power Party plans to include in its amendment a provision that requires prosecutors and police officers to consult from the early stages of an investigation for serious crimes.

However, there are divided opinions within the party regarding the revival of the system where all cases are sent to the prosecution, as there is concern it could give the impression of opposing prosecution reform.

(Video reporting: Lee Seung-hwan, Shin Dong-hwan | Video editing: Won Hyeong-hee)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.