On July 14, the Democratic Party discussed amendments to the Criminal Procedure Act as part of its judicial reform efforts, revealing internal disagreements over the elimination of supplementary investigative authority. Meanwhile, the People Power Party criticized the ruling party's push for these amendments, warning that it could lead to the emergence of a "monster police force."
Lee Joo-hee, the Democratic Party's floor spokesperson, spoke to reporters after a party meeting, stating, "We have officially entered the deliberation process this month. We are working to enhance the quality of the legislation to prevent any adverse effects that may arise during the judicial reform process from impacting the public."
She added, "Next week, we will hold a policy meeting with experts and will actively gather public opinions." However, she cautioned against overinterpretation, noting, "No lawmakers have advocated for the complete retention of supplementary investigative authority."
Currently, four bills related to the Criminal Procedure Act have been proposed. The Democratic Party is focusing on the proposal put forth by its internal task force, which includes lawmakers Kim Seung-won and Lee Hae-sik, along with Kim Han-kyu and Park Sang-hyuk. The task force is gathering opinions on the matter.
Additionally, there are joint proposals from Democratic Party lawmaker Kim Yong-min and Justice Party lawmaker Park Eun-jung, as well as a proposal from Justice Party lawmaker Cha Kyu-geun, and another from Democratic Party lawmaker Hong Gi-won. The legislative committee plans to review these four proposals collectively.
Notably, while the task force has suggested replacing supplementary investigative authority with a supplementary investigative request authority, Hong's proposal includes provisions for retaining some supplementary investigative authority in exceptional cases, such as sexual violence. Lee emphasized, "We are striving to conduct deliberations swiftly and thoroughly," but she also noted that setting a deadline could hinder the process.
The People Power Party, opposing the ruling party's move to abolish the supplementary investigative authority, has launched a campaign centered around the "Jang Yoon-ki case." Jang Dong-hyuk, the party leader, who has been focusing on external protests due to a shortage of ballots, stated, "If we hand over all investigative powers to the police, a monster police force will emerge," emphasizing the need for a vigorous campaign.
During a discussion held in the National Assembly, Jang highlighted the necessity of supplementary investigative authority. He remarked, "The Jang Yoon-ki case shows that relying on the goodwill of the police for proper investigations is impossible. What is needed now is police reform, which underscores the necessity of checks and controls on the police's vast powers."
Floor leader Jeong Jeom-sik also commented on the Jang Yoon-ki case, stating, "This incident, where the police, who should uncover the truth, instead turned a blind eye and concealed evidence, betrays the public trust. If the supplementary investigative authority is abolished in this context, it could nullify the minimal checks needed to prevent inadequate investigations and abuse of power by the police."
Previously, the People Power Party decided at a party meeting to propose an amendment to the Criminal Procedure Act that would maintain the supplementary investigative authority as the party's official stance. Floor spokesperson Choi Eun-seok told reporters that the legal support team is preparing a proposal with supplementary opinions and that it will be submitted as soon as possible, although the timing may vary.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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