Han Byeong-do, the acting leader of the Democratic Party and floor leader, stated on July 22, "There is always resistance to reform," adding, "We will no longer delay prosecutorial reform." He emphasized that simply changing the names of the prosecution to the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency and the Public Prosecution Service is not enough.
During a Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly, Han remarked, "Prosecutorial reform is not a slogan that has suddenly emerged. It is a history written with the blood and tears of South Korean democracy."
He further stressed the need to rectify the distorted criminal justice system that has been centered around the prosecution for over 70 years and to return judicial sovereignty to the people.
Han warned, "Unchecked power will inevitably be abused," and stated, "If we maintain the structure that allows the prosecution to judge the cases they create, the history of a political prosecution will inevitably repeat itself. We must not only change the name through amendments to the criminal procedure law but also replace the actual powers and operational methods."
He added, "The belief that only prosecutors can protect victims is not true when we look back at the past. What is needed is not unchecked power but a meticulously designed system."
Moreover, Han declared, "If we do not implement this again, the dark history of political prosecution will repeat itself," asserting that the Democratic Party will uphold principles and strengthen the system to responsibly complete prosecutorial reform.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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