Key facts
- The ruling Democratic Party (DP) introduced a bill to abolish the prosecution's right to conduct supplementary investigations.
- The bill is a revision to the Criminal Procedure Act.
- Opposition PPP lawmakers boycotted the committee meeting and protested outside.
- The DP's move is part of a larger prosecution reform effort.
- A new bill to dismantle the prosecution and create separate investigative and indictment agencies is scheduled to take effect in October.
SEOUL, July 8 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's ruling Democratic Party (DP) introduced a bill on Wednesday that would abolish the prosecution's right to conduct supplementary investigations. The DP proposed the revision to the Criminal Procedure Act during a meeting of the National Assembly Committee on Legislation and Judiciary, facing opposition from the main opposition People Power Party (PPP).
PPP lawmakers boycotted the committee meeting and instead held a rally outside, criticizing the ruling party's unilateral advancement of the bill. This occurred amid stalled negotiations between the two parties regarding the allocation of standing committee chairs. The DP, which controls the National Assembly, had recently elected the heads of a special budget committee and ten parliamentary standing committees, including the key judiciary committee.
Late last month, then Prime Minister Kim Min-seok had stated that the government had concluded on scrapping the prosecution's right to supplementary investigations, while respecting the National Assembly's decision without proposing a new bill. The DP's current action aligns with its broader push for prosecution reform, which includes dismantling the current prosecution system and establishing two new agencies for investigations and indictments. This reform legislation was passed by parliament and the Cabinet in March and is slated to take effect in October.