[Anchor]

The Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) is set to propose an amendment to the Criminal Procedure Act today, July 9, which centers on the abolition of the prosecution's right to conduct supplementary investigations. The People Power Party (PPP) is strongly opposing the move, claiming it would turn the nation into a "paradise for criminals."

Reporter Go Jeong-hyeon has the story.

[Reporter]

The DPK plans to finalize the amendment to the Criminal Procedure Act during a task force meeting today and introduce the bill this afternoon.

The party maintains that its stance on abolishing the prosecution's right to conduct supplementary investigations—which allows for direct investigation—remains unchanged.

While the DPK acknowledges that shortcomings in police investigations were identified in the recent Jang Yun-gi case, it argues that such issues can be resolved through mechanisms like the right to demand supplementary investigations, including mandatory provisions that would require the police to perform such tasks.

[Interview: Kim Han-kyu / DPK Senior Deputy Floor Leader for Policy: We have been considering ways to minimize potential issues arising from the complete separation of investigation and prosecution, and to efficiently supplement police investigations to ensure the protection of victims' human rights.]

Once the bill is proposed today, the DPK plans to begin discussions in the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee starting tomorrow, July 10, alongside existing bills previously proposed by lawmakers from the pan-ruling bloc.

The DPK aims to process the bill swiftly around the time of its national convention, though it remains open to the possibility of the PPP participating in the Legislation and Judiciary Committee to discuss and process the bill through consultation.

The PPP has criticized the DPK for siding with criminals, citing cases such as the Busan "roundhouse kick" assault and the Jang Yun-gi case, where the full scope of the crimes was revealed more thoroughly through the prosecution's supplementary investigations.

PPP Representative Jang Dong-hyeok escalated his criticism, stating that the dismantling of the prosecution and the stripping of its supplementary investigation rights would ultimately create a "paradise for criminals."

[Interview: Jang Dong-hyeok / PPP Representative: It is said that this phrase is circulating among the public these days: When a businessperson becomes president, businesses are respected, but when a criminal becomes president, only criminals are respected.]

Representative Jang has canceled his scheduled meeting with Prime Minister Han Seong-sook for today and plans to visit the Gwangju Metropolitan Police Agency, which is in charge of the Jang Yun-gi case, to meet with the police chief.

(Video coverage: Oh Young-chun, Lee Seung-hwan | Video editing: Jeon Min-gyu)