Key facts
- President Lee Jae Myung stated that the revision to the Criminal Procedure Act is the "beginning of judicial normalization."
- The bill removes prosecutors' authority to conduct direct investigations, transferring this power to the police.
- The main opposition People Power Party (PPP) urged President Lee to veto the bill.
- The legislation passed the National Assembly with a significant majority.
President Lee Jae Myung has defended a recently passed legal revision that strips prosecutors of their direct investigative authority, calling it "the beginning of judicial normalization." The revision to the Criminal Procedure Act will leave investigations solely to the police, while prosecutors will focus on indictments. Lee's remarks at a Cabinet meeting signaled his intention to sign the bill into law, despite opposition from the main opposition People Power Party (PPP). The PPP had urged President Lee to veto the bill, with party leader Jang Dong-hyeok criticizing it as detrimental to the rule of law. The legislation passed the National Assembly with a significant majority.