Jung Chung-rae pushes for swift abolition of prosecutors' supplementary investigation powers before Constitution Day

Jung Chung-rae, former leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, urged the broader progressive bloc to unite and move quickly to abolish prosecutors' supplementary investigation powers.

In a Facebook post Friday, Jung called on the "pan-democratic progressive alliance" to push through the abolition together. "The government has declared its position in favor of abolishing supplementary investigation powers. Now it is a race against time — every day counts," he said.

He said all forces in the National Assembly that support the abolition must "band together and drive in an irreversible nail." He added that a Criminal Procedure Act amendment bill drafted jointly by civil society groups and lawmakers was being finalized, with co-sponsorship signatures to be collected Friday. "I will join as a co-sponsor," he said.

Jung said the bill must pass before Constitution Day on July 17. He added that he had asked Han Byung-do, the acting Democratic Party leader, on Thursday to adopt it as an official party bill and to expedite the formation of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee.

He also called on the Democratic Party, the Rebuilding Korea Party, the Progressive Party and all other progressive parties to adopt the bill as their official position and move quickly to pass it together.

Jung doubled down, saying he would "do his utmost to ensure that prosecution offices close in October and that the new Serious Crime Investigation Agency and the Public Prosecution Service launch properly." He added that he would complete prosecution reform through the full abolition of supplementary investigation powers — "the symbol and banner of Democratic Party reform."

Earlier, Prime Minister Kim Min-seok held a briefing Thursday in which he announced that the Lee Jae Myung administration had finalized its position in favor of abolishing supplementary investigation powers, a central point of contention in the push to amend the Criminal Procedure Act as part of prosecution reform.

Kim said, however, that the government would not submit a separate bill, in order to allow the National Assembly to deliberate freely.

Jung welcomed the announcement while stressing that the Assembly must deliver a complete and irreversible abolition.

The exchange also laid bare a subtle tension between Jung — who has signaled his intention to run for Democratic Party leader at the Aug. 17 party convention — and Prime Minister Kim over whether the government should submit its own bill.

Jung said it would have been best if the government had sent an abolition bill to the Assembly, and in effect criticized Kim by using phrases such as "stalling tactic" and "wasted time."

Supreme Council member Hwang Myung-sun pushed back at a Supreme Council meeting Friday. "My heart sank when I heard people calling the government's approach a waste of time and a stalling tactic," Hwang said. "A responsible ruling party needs the language of unity, not conflict and division."

Hwang added that the party must not forget that it "was struck by the public's rod at the local elections after repeatedly falling out of step with our government."

Supreme Council member Kang Deuk-gu also weighed in, saying the party must not repeat "the confusion exposed during the first round of prosecution reform legislation or the irresponsible destabilization of the president." He said the issue must not be used "as a tool for ideological competition for political gain within our own ranks."

Kang further said such behavior amounted to "a betrayal of party members and of the people who entrusted us with the mission of prosecution reform." He took direct aim at Jung, saying it "defies common sense" to accuse the government of stalling when "the government proposed passing the bill in May but the party refused, causing the delay."