Bill stripping prosecutors of supplementary investigation powers clears committee amid plenary battle

A bill to strip prosecutors of their supplementary investigation powers cleared the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee under Democratic Party of Korea leadership. The Democratic Party plans to put the Criminal Procedure Act revision to a plenary vote Thursday. Opposition parties have vowed to mount a filibuster, but with the ruling bloc holding an overwhelming majority of seats, the bill is expected to pass as early as Friday.

The Legislation and Judiciary Committee passed the revision Wednesday, abolishing prosecutors' direct investigation powers — including supplementary investigations — in their entirety. Under the revised bill, prosecutors would no longer conduct supplementary investigations themselves but could request that judicial police officers do so. Police would be required to complete such investigations within one month, with a one-month extension available if necessary.

The committee also added grounds for dismissing charges when a prosecution was initiated on the basis of serious investigative misconduct or constituted a significant abuse of prosecutorial discretion. Rep. Seo Yeong-gyo, the Democratic Party lawmaker who chairs the committee, said the revision establishes "a criminal justice system in which prosecutors focus on filing and maintaining charges, the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency handles major crimes professionally, and victims receive stronger protection."

The People Power Party demanded agenda mediation and staged a placard protest inside the meeting room but failed to block the vote. PPP members on the committee urged President Lee Jae Myung to exercise his veto power should the bill pass the full Assembly.

The PPP plans to launch a filibuster once the bill reaches the plenary session. The Reform Party also said it would join the filibuster, and independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon said he would take part in the debate. Given the current composition of the Assembly, however, blocking the bill's passage appears realistically difficult.

PPP floor leader Jeong Jeom-sik said at a supreme council meeting Thursday that the Democratic Party had "reduced the National Assembly's deliberation and debate procedures to a mere formality," adding that "a bad law born of hatred and a desire for revenge against prosecutors is heading to the Assembly floor."

He was particularly critical of the new grounds for dismissing charges, saying the provision amounted to "setting up a court that can nullify President Lee Jae Myung's trial," and that "all responsibility for the crime wave that will result from abolishing supplementary investigation powers lies with President Lee and the Democratic Party."

Han said on Facebook that because "there is no chance of acquittal in Lee Jae Myung's inter-Korean remittance bribery case and withdrawing the charges is not easy, they have created a new charge-dismissal law," adding that the move was an attempt to "pressure the court into forcing a dismissal ruling."

In response, Democratic Party, Rebuilding Korea Party and Progressive Party lawmakers on the committee held a press conference Thursday, rebuffing the PPP by saying the party "did not participate in the bill review subcommittee," and asking, "How is this any different from a player who did not take the field protesting the referee's call after the final whistle?"

A National Assembly Act revision is also expected to be put to the plenary session Thursday. That bill would shorten the maximum review period for fast-tracked legislation from the current 330 days to 90 days.