The Democratic Party of Korea said Tuesday it will pass an amendment to the Criminal Procedure Act, centered on abolishing prosecutors' supplementary investigation authority, before its national convention on Aug. 17.
Kim Han-kyu, deputy floor policy chief of the Democratic Party, met with reporters at the National Assembly the same day and said of the timing for processing the amendment, "We have no plan to handle it after the convention."
"A significant number of party members, supporters, and lawmakers hold the position that supplementary investigation authority should be abolished," Kim said. "Some members of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee are saying that we should consider problems that may continue to arise after the law is revised. It is not a situation where internal disagreement is large enough to reopen the debate," he stressed, emphasizing that it is the party's official position.
"However, the volume is large, so it physically takes time, and it is an extremely important matter that requires precise review, so we have that awareness at the same time, which is why it is taking some time," he explained. He added again, "Han Byung-do, acting Democratic Party leader and floor leader, will soon speak directly about this part again, and we have no intention whatsoever of delaying the timing."
The Democratic Party has formed a task force for revising the Criminal Procedure Act, consisting of Kim, Policy Committee Vice Chairman Park Sang-hyuk, and Legislation and Judiciary Committee secretary Kim Seung-won, and is drafting an amendment to the Criminal Procedure Act that includes abolishing supplementary investigation authority.
Earlier, Democratic Party lawmaker Kim Yong-min declared on Facebook that he would not run in the party leadership election, arguing, "Although I barely remain as a member of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, it is a continuation of exclusion," and "Even though there is a Criminal Procedure Act bill I have already proposed, the party is separately creating a task force and preparing a bill separately."
In response, Kim Han-kyu said, "We are sufficiently referring to the part where Rep. Kim discussed with civil society and submitted a bill, and we are considering his opinion."
