The Democratic Party of Korea is speeding up efforts to pass a revision to the Criminal Procedure Act that would fully abolish prosecutors' supplementary investigation power at a plenary session this week. The People Power Party, seizing on Justice Minister Chung Sye-kyun's offer to resign, has claimed the move signals "internal division within the government" and "judicial collapse," and vowed an all-out blockade including a filibuster. However, given the seat structure in the National Assembly, the People Power Party lacks the strength to block the bill's passage.
According to political circles on the 26th, the Democratic Party plans to draft the text of the Criminal Procedure Act revision containing the abolition of supplementary investigation power through the first bill review subcommittee of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee on the 27th and attempt to pass it. If the subcommittee vote succeeds, the party plans to bring it to a plenary session of the National Assembly on the 30th after passing through the full committee.
Suh Young-kyo, chair of the National Assembly Legislation and Judiciary Committee, said at a press briefing that day, "For the launch of the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency and the Public Prosecution Agency, the Criminal Procedure Act must first be revised." She added, "We have held the bill subcommittee eight times and have sufficiently gathered opinions from relevant agencies, experts, and civic groups. Now we just need to process it as planned after review by the Legislation and Judiciary Committee."
The revision, which the Democratic Party has adopted as its party position, centers on the principle of separating investigation and prosecution. To address concerns both inside and outside the party over harm to the socially vulnerable, it includes a provision to establish a dedicated supplementary investigation department at the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency.
Although Justice Minister Chung, who had advocated a "cautious approach," raised concerns over abolishing supplementary investigation power and offered to resign, the Democratic Party made clear it has no intention of adjusting the pace of legislation. Since the general assembly of lawmakers had already ratified the Criminal Procedure Act revision as the party position, the party plans to proceed with the plenary session process on the 30th as scheduled once the Legislation and Judiciary Committee review is complete.
"There is no reason to further delay a bill already settled as the party position, when the opposition has effectively not participated in the bill review process," a Democratic Party floor official said. "We will follow the plenary session process as soon as the Legislation and Judiciary Committee review is complete."
The People Power Party heightened its offensive, characterizing the resignation submitted by Chung — regarded as the "leader of the pro-Lee faction" — as the opening shot of a rift within the ruling bloc.
Choi Soo-jin, chief floor spokesperson for the People Power Party, argued, "Even Justice Minister Chung, who was called the leader of the pro-Lee faction, has pulled out the resignation card." She added, "Isn't this an admission even within the Democratic Party that this is reckless legislation?" She also urged Democratic Party lawmakers to "refuse to serve as rubber stamps and cast votes against it according to their convictions."
Choi Bo-yun, chief spokesperson for the People Power Party, likewise criticized, "It is because even within the government the danger of the bill was recognized that the justice minister went so far as to offer his resignation." He added, "A responsible minister should not have submitted a resignation but actively recommended that the president exercise the right to request a reconsideration."
Chung Jum-sik, floor leader of the People Power Party, raised the level of criticism, saying, "Selling out the country is not the only form of treason; selling out the people is also treason," and "They are placing the lives and safety of the people on the scale of political engineering." He warned, "If the revision passes the plenary session and the president gives up even the right to request a reconsideration, the government and the ruling party will walk the path of joint collapse from that moment on."
Rep. Yoon Sang-hyun of the People Power Party also said, "One year is enough to tear down investigative capacity, but it takes decades to rebuild it," proposing a delay in enforcement along with a public debate involving citizens and experts.
The People Power Party plans to mobilize all means, including a filibuster, to block the bill if it reaches the plenary session. However, under the National Assembly Act, once a motion to terminate a filibuster is submitted, debate can be ended after 24 hours with the approval of three-fifths or more of the registered members, making it realistically difficult to block the bill's passage if the Democratic Party proceeds with the termination process.
The Democratic Party instead emphasized the People Power Party's responsibility for not participating in bill discussions and reaffirmed its will to push through the bill. Han Byung-do, acting party leader and floor leader, countered through social networking service (SNS) that day, "The People Power Party is deceiving the public with inflammatory expressions over reform legislation." He added, "It is the People Power Party that turned its back on people's livelihoods while failing to participate in the discussion process."
Committee Chair Suh also stressed, "It was the Yoon Suk-yeol government and the People Power Party that provided the cause for prosecution reform," adding, "The People Power Party should join the discussion on reforming the criminal justice system."
