The second special prosecutor team, led by Kwon Chang-young, has requested an extension of their investigation deadline by 30 days through an amendment to the special prosecutor law, as their current deadline approaches on July 24.
According to legal sources on July 3, the special prosecutor team sent this request to Rep. Seo Young-kyo, chair of the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee, on July 1.
Under the current special prosecutor law, the special prosecutor team can extend their investigation period by 30 days, up to two times. The team began its investigation on February 25 and has already utilized two extensions after completing the initial 90-day period. They must conclude their investigation by July 24.
Despite these extensions, the special prosecutor team argues that additional time is necessary. They contend that, compared to previous special prosecutor teams investigating similar cases, they have fewer personnel and a broader scope of investigation. They believe that a total of 150 days is insufficient to complete their planned inquiries and achieve meaningful results.
Additionally, the team has requested that special investigators with legal qualifications be allowed to handle prosecution tasks to maintain investigative strength and ensure smooth prosecution processes. Currently, only prosecutors are permitted to manage prosecutions under the special prosecutor law, and the team seeks to expand this authority to special investigators.
The amendment request also includes a proposal to increase the number of dispatched public officials from the current 130 to 150. This increase is deemed essential for utilizing experienced judicial police officers and for conducting investigations into crimes committed across various government departments, necessitating officials familiar with the internal workings of these agencies.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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