Justice Minister Chung Sung-ho publicly signaled his intention to resign as the ruling and opposition parties clashed head-on on the 27th at the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee over a Criminal Procedure Act amendment centered on completely abolishing prosecutors' supplementary investigation authority. The People Power Party pressed that if Chung's resignation stems from the Democratic Party's push to abolish supplementary investigation authority, the president should be advised to exercise his veto.
At the committee's full session that day, Chung effectively reaffirmed his intention to resign, saying, "We have declared the grand principle of separating investigation and prosecution, and once the Major Crimes Investigation Agency and the Public Prosecution Agency launch on October 2, 95% of prosecution reform will be achieved." He added, "Personally, I believe new wine should be put in new wineskins." He continued, "My health has been very poor recently, and considering that aspect, I have long discussed the matter with those around the president."
The Democratic Party, however, repeatedly urged Chung to remain, saying he must take responsibility for completing the final stage of prosecution reform.
Rep. Park Jie-won said, "He needs to complete the launch of the Major Crimes Investigation Agency and the Public Prosecution Agency in October, so resigning makes no sense. The Major Crimes Investigation Agency must be built out in detail so that police can conduct supplementary investigations for the socially vulnerable. (Chung's) health can hold out until the end of this year."
Rep. Lee Sung-yoon also said, "We should not leave behind personnel premised on direct investigation by prosecutors. The minister must play his role to the end so that the Major Crimes Investigation Agency and the Public Prosecution Agency launch properly."
The People Power Party, by contrast, went on the offensive by linking Chung's status to the Democratic Party's legislative push. Rep. Yoon Sang-hyun said, "In the end, isn't this an expression of powerlessness over the abolition of supplementary investigation authority? For a minister who should be doing more to persuade the National Assembly to express an intention to resign is an irresponsible dereliction of duty."
Rep. Kwak Kyu-taek also questioned, "A majority of the public opposes abolishing supplementary investigation authority. If the bill is being pushed through because of the ruling party's need for its national convention, shouldn't the president be advised to exercise his veto?"
As the controversy grew, the Presidential Office again drew a line and moved to contain the situation. A key Presidential Office official said, "No official expression of resignation by the justice minister has been confirmed."
At the meeting that day, disputes continued not only over Chung's status but also over the content and processing procedure of the Criminal Procedure Act amendment.
The Democratic Party argued that under the grand principle of separating investigation and prosecution, it is sufficient to leave open only a minimal channel to prevent shoddy police investigations. Rep. Kim Yong-min said, "Looking at victims' opinions, the key is that victims' rights must be sufficiently protected during the course of judicial proceedings. I do not think that having prosecutors conduct direct and supplementary investigations is the only and best solution."
The People Power Party, on the other hand, countered that if prosecutors' supplementary investigation authority is completely abolished, the mechanism to check shoddy and delayed police investigations would disappear, potentially leading to harm to the public. Rep. Park Hyung-soo emphasized, "The biggest purpose of supplementary investigation authority is its human rights protection function. We must not tear down the basic structure of the Criminal Procedure Act that allows people to appeal again to the prosecution when there is injustice in a police investigation."
Meanwhile, the Legislation and Judiciary Committee that day tabled four "special counsel bills on the National Election Commission" to investigate the ballot shortage during the June 3 local elections, along with six Criminal Procedure Act amendments centered on completely abolishing prosecutors' supplementary investigation authority, and referred them to the bill review subcommittee.
The Democratic Party plans to pass the Criminal Procedure Act amendment at the committee's full session on the 29th and then finalize it at the plenary session on the 30th. Kang Jun-hyun, chief spokesperson for the Democratic Party, reaffirmed the party's push to force the legislation through, saying, "We have a strong will to process the Criminal Procedure Act at the plenary session on the 30th."
