Public Opinion Poll on Prosecutors' Supplementary Investigation Authority: 61% in Favor of Retention vs. 23% for Abolition

[Anchor]

The results of a Gallup Korea public opinion poll regarding the potential abolition of the prosecution's supplementary investigation authority have been released. Sixty-one percent of respondents stated that the authority should be maintained to keep the police in check and prevent inadequate investigations. Even among supporters of the Democratic Party and those with progressive leanings, opinions on whether to maintain or abolish the authority were closely divided.

Reporter Kim Ayeong has the story.

[Reporter]

This survey was conducted by the polling firm Gallup Korea, which surveyed 1,003 adults aged 18 and older nationwide over three days starting July 14.

Respondents were asked for their views on the prosecution's supplementary investigation authority, which allows prosecutors to conduct additional investigations themselves when they determine that police investigations are insufficient.

The results showed that 61% of respondents believe the authority should be maintained to keep the police in check and prevent inadequate investigations, while 23% argued it should be fully abolished in line with the principle of separating prosecution and investigation.

By political affiliation, 46% of Democratic Party supporters favored maintaining the authority, while 39% supported its full abolition.

Among supporters of the People Power Party, 81% favored retention and 8% favored full abolition. Among those with no party affiliation, 63% supported retention and 12% supported full abolition.

By ideological orientation, 77% of conservative respondents chose to maintain the authority, while 13% chose full abolition. Among those with moderate leanings, 64% favored retention and 23% favored full abolition.

Among progressive respondents, 46% answered that it should be maintained, while 42% answered that it should be fully abolished.

Gallup analyzed that while opinions are evenly split among Democratic Party supporters and progressives, the view that the authority should be maintained is dominant across most respondent demographics.

Gallup further explained that in September of last year, 82% of Democratic Party supporters at the time approved of a prosecution reform plan to abolish the Prosecutors' Office and establish a Public Prosecution Service and a Major Crimes Investigation Agency to split the existing prosecution's indictment and investigation powers. However, they noted that there appears to be less active support for this current proposal to abolish the supplementary investigation authority compared to that time.

(Video Editing: Jang Hyun-ki)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.