Surge in Distrust of Police Probes Casts Doubt on Push to Abolish Prosecutors' Supplementary Investigation Power

As the Democratic Party of Korea pushes to abolish prosecutors' supplementary investigation power, appeals filed by complainants who effectively say they "cannot trust police investigations" have more than doubled over four years, data showed.

According to data that Rep. Kim Jae-sub of the People Power Party received from the Korean National Police Agency, the number of complainant appeals against police decisions not to refer cases to prosecutors rose 2.1-fold, from 27,262 in 2021 to 56,165 last year. This year, the figure reached 34,001 through June. The appeal rate relative to non-referral decisions climbed from 7% in 2021 to 9.7% last year and 11.3% in the first half of this year. This means a growing number of citizens do not trust the results of police investigations.

Cases in which prosecutors overturned non-referral conclusions and pressed charges after conducting supplementary investigations following appeals against police probes also rose 2.1-fold, from 528 in 2021 to 1,130 last year. In addition, orders for supplementary or re-investigation issued by the police investigation review committee surged 8.9-fold over the same period, from 80 to 711. This is clear evidence that structural limitations exist in police investigations and that prosecutors' supplementary investigations serve as a safety net rescuing wronged victims. Nevertheless, it is concerning that the Democratic Party is pushing to abolish supplementary investigation power while looking only to its hardline support base. Ahead of next month's party convention, contenders for the party leadership have successively pledged abolition, and the party has finalized this as its official position, signaling passage at a plenary session on the 30th.

If supplementary investigation power is abolished, the mechanism to prevent police abuse of investigative authority will disappear, and grasping the substance of cases will become more difficult, ultimately raising serious concerns that only the suffering of crime victims will be aggravated. This is why not only women's groups but even progressive organizations are calling for its retention. In a recent Gallup Korea poll, 61% of the public opposed abolition. The Democratic Party must immediately halt its rush to revise the Criminal Procedure Act to abolish supplementary investigation power. Reforming the criminal justice system should be deliberated and decided solely for the safety and protection of the human rights of the people, not for the gains and losses of a particular faction. The party says it will allow "full referral," under which the "seven major crimes" such as sex offenses will be referred to prosecutors under individual laws to protect the socially vulnerable, but this is merely a stopgap measure that leaves the remaining cases in a blind spot. If the Democratic Party nonetheless forces through the abolition, President Lee Jae-myung should exercise his right to request reconsideration (veto power) to ensure the public suffers no harm as a result.