'Abolition of Supplementary Investigation Powers' Moves to Plenary Session Today... Filibuster Counter-Response Planned

[Anchor]

The Criminal Procedure Act amendment, which entirely abolishes prosecutors' supplementary investigation powers, is scheduled to be submitted to the plenary session today (July 30) led by the pan-ruling parties. Amid continuing concerns, a so-called "fact-checking right" has been created to allow prosecutors to listen to related statements or receive data, but it has been stipulated that these cannot be used as trial evidence.

Reporter Ha Jeongyeon has the details.

[Reporter]

In the Criminal Procedure Act amendment entering the final countdown to legislation led by the pan-ruling parties, the word "prosecutor"—which was listed as the subject in clauses stating "prosecutors investigate criminals, criminal facts, and evidence" as well as investigation-related clauses such as requests for suspect attendance and emergency arrests—has been collectively deleted.

This completely strips prosecutors of their investigative powers, including supplementary investigation rights.

A new explicit clause will also be established stating that "prosecutors are responsible for indicting and maintaining prosecutions, while the police are responsible for investigations."

In the case of arrest warrants, prosecutors' authority will be restricted so that they can only request them upon application by the police.

Instead, the Democratic Party revised a significant number of related clauses, claiming it is making prosecutors' right to request supplementary investigations more substantive.

The existing clause stating that the police "must fulfill without delay" a prosecutor's request for supplementary investigation was changed to set a "deadline" of "fulfillment within a month," and prosecutors were empowered to designate a higher investigative agency when making requests.

A "right to raise objections" was also created so that complainants and others can take issue with police delays in handling cases or illegal investigations, which the Democratic Party explained as a "measure to protect victims."

Amid significant concerns that the "right to request supplementary investigations" alone cannot properly keep the police in check, the Democratic Party also newly established a prosecutor's "fact-checking right."

This allows prosecutors to listen to the opinions of case-related parties or receive related data, but the problem is that a proviso has been attached stating that it "cannot be used as evidence in trial."

This means it can only serve as a reference when prosecutors decide whether to reinvestigate or not, and has no evidentiary value in itself.

[Voice / Seo Young-kyo / Legislation and Judiciary Committee Chairperson (Democratic Party Lawmaker): We must move toward a criminal justice system that more robustly protects the basic rights of the people, disperses authority, and clarifies responsibility.]

[Voice / Joo Jin-woo / People Power Party Lawmaker: Prosecutors have to hand cases over to other agencies even while clearly seeing the evidence. Will criminals just sit still during that time? If it is rushed through like this, I believe the damage will ultimately return to the public.]

Today, the Democratic Party is expected to submit the amendment to the National Assembly plenary session, while the People Power Party is expected to counter with an unlimited debate, or filibuster.

The Democratic Party is then expected to forcefully terminate it tomorrow and attempt to pass it in the plenary session.

(Camera: Shin Dong-hwan, Kim Yong-woo | Video Editing: Jeon Min-gyu | Design: Hwang Se-yeon)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.