Public Battle in Front of Cheong Wa Dae: Calls for Presidential Veto vs. Condemnation of 'False Propaganda'

[Anchor]

The amendment to the Criminal Procedure Act, which mainly abolishes the prosecutors' supplementary investigation powers, passed the National Assembly last week, but the conflict continues. The People Power Party held a condemnation rally in front of Cheong Wa Dae to urge President Lee to exercise his veto power, while the Democratic Party criticized the People Power Party for engaging in false propaganda to overturn prosecution reform.

Reporter Son Hyeong-an has the details.

[Reporter]

People Power Party Leader Jang Dong-hyeon and other party leadership gathered in front of Cheong Wa Dae this morning (August 3) to hold an on-site Supreme Council meeting titled "Urging the Rejection of the Evil Law Abolishing Supplementary Investigation Powers."

Regarding the passage of the Criminal Procedure Act amendment—which abolishes prosecutors' investigative powers—by the pan-ruling bloc-led National Assembly on July 31, Leader Jang heightened his offensive, stating, "South Korea's rule of law has received a death sentence," and urging President Lee to exercise his veto power against a "law opposed by the majority of the public."

[Jang Dong-hyeon / Leader, People Power Party : If you refuse to exercise the veto power, public demands for impeachment to protect South Korea will grow even fiercer.]

Floor Leader Jeong Jeom-sik criticized that case processing is already severely delayed due to the aftermath of the adjustment of prosecution and police investigative powers, calling "the abolition of even supplementary investigation powers the crowning blow to judicial degradation."

The Democratic Party attached significance to the passage of the bill, declaring that "the era of prosecutors wielding almighty power has finally come to an end" and that "a new era has opened where the prosecution-centered criminal justice system transforms into a public-centered one."

In response to the People Power Party's announcement of legal countermeasures, including filing a constitutional complaint, the Democratic Party hit back, calling it false propaganda opposing reform.

[Han Byeong-do / Floor Leader, Democratic Party : Please immediately stop attempts to use constitutional complaints as a tool for political strife to overturn prosecution reform.]

The Democratic Party plans to hold a national reporting session on the Criminal Procedure Act amendment to dispel citizens' misunderstandings and concerns surrounding the amendment.

The amendment, which continues to heat up the political arena and the legal community even after passing the National Assembly, is expected to be promulgated following a Cabinet meeting as early as this week.

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