The Democratic Party of Korea reaffirmed its plan to pass a revision to the Criminal Procedure Act at a plenary session this week, centered on abolishing prosecutors' supplementary investigation rights.
Han Byeong-do, acting Democratic Party leader and floor leader, said at a Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on the 27th, "This week, we will complete the revision of the Criminal Procedure Act, the final piece of prosecutorial reform." He added, "The Democratic Party will pass the Criminal Procedure Act revision without fail at this week's plenary session."
"At its full caucus, the Democratic Party adopted as its party line the Criminal Procedure Act revision, which centers on the complete separation of investigation and indictment," Han said. "In this process, we derived policy alternatives that expand measures to protect victims and strengthen mutual checks among investigative agencies."
He stressed, "The Democratic Party's principle is just one: the prosecution that indicts does not investigate." He added, "Prosecutorial reform is not a hollow slogan but a historic task and a mission of the times to establish a criminal justice system that serves only the people and in which the people are the masters."
Turning to the People Power Party, he said, "They are stoking public anxiety, even putting forth the bizarre logic that leaving investigative powers with the prosecution is the only way to protect the lives and safety of the people." He pointed out, "This is nothing more and nothing less than irresponsible false agitation."
He continued, "It is none other than the People Power Party that has kept boycotting the National Assembly for nearly two months, casting people's livelihoods aside and refusing to take part in discussions on the Criminal Procedure Act." He added, "I hope they realize that acting to obstruct the nation's future and people's livelihoods while calculating partisan interests is precisely treason."
Han also reiterated his intention to overhaul the filibuster (unlimited debate) and fast-track (expedited bill processing) systems as part of normalizing the operation of the National Assembly.
"Since the 22nd National Assembly began, the People Power Party has abused the filibuster a whopping 32 times, totaling 750 hours," Han said, criticizing that "a system designed to protect minority opinions is being misused as a means to paralyze the National Assembly and delay livelihood legislation."
Regarding the fast-track system, he said, "It takes up to 330 days, including 180 days at standing committees, 90 days at the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, and 60 days for referral to the plenary session, so it is criticized as being a slow-track rather than a fast-track." He said, "We will rationally overhaul the National Assembly Act so that the filibuster and fast-track systems function in line with their original intent."
He also said, "We will fully activate the standing committees to support the recovery of the people's livelihood economy and the pursuit of the Lee Jae-myung administration's policy tasks." He added, "Through revision of the National Assembly Act, we will raise the speed and efficiency of livelihood legislation and, without fail, realize a working National Assembly that produces results the people can feel."
