Key facts
- South Korea's National Assembly passed a bill to abolish the prosecution's direct investigative powers.
- The legislation passed with a 175-2 vote, with one abstention.
- Acting Prosecutor General Koo Ja-hyeon submitted his resignation to take responsibility for the bill's passage.
- The opposition PPP urged President Lee Jae Myung to veto the bill, calling it the 'Lee Jae Myung escape-from-prison law'.
South Korea's National Assembly, led by the ruling Democratic Party, passed a significant bill on July 31, 2026, that strips the prosecution of its direct investigative powers. The legislation, which passed with a decisive 175-2 vote with one abstention, will allow prosecutors to request judicial police officers to conduct supplementary investigations instead of carrying them out directly.
In response to the bill's passage, acting Prosecutor General Koo Ja-hyeon announced his resignation, stating he submitted it to take responsibility for the revision. The main opposition People Power Party (PPP) immediately called on President Lee Jae Myung to exercise his veto power, with party floor leader Jeong Jeom-sig describing the bill as "tailor-made legislation" for the president, whose own criminal trials are ongoing.
Cheong Wa Dae, the presidential office, stated that it "respects" parliament's decision and will work to ensure the law's smooth implementation. The Assembly also introduced a revision to the National Assembly Act to shorten the review period for fast-track bills from 330 days to 90 days, which the PPP immediately filibustered. The filibuster is set to end at midnight when the current parliamentary session expires, with the bill expected to be voted on next month.