Han Dong-hoon Opposes Abolishing Supplementary Investigation Rights

Independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon warned on July 29 that if a proposed amendment to the Criminal Procedure Act, which aims to abolish supplementary investigation rights for prosecutors, is passed, "crimes will be forgotten, and only the victims' grievances will remain."

Han held an emergency debate titled "Abolishing Supplementary Investigations: Will We Ultimately Favor Criminals?" in the National Assembly. This marked the first time Han organized such a debate, attended by 14 lawmakers from the pro-Han faction, including former pro-Yoon (supporting Yoon Suk Yeol) member Kim Ki-hyun.

Kim Ki-hyun stated, "We cannot stand by while a system that could produce numerous victims is in front of us. It is unacceptable to damage the entire judicial and investigative system due to the misconduct of some prosecutors."

Han criticized the Democratic Party and the Ministry of Justice for not attending the debate, saying, "The Democratic Party lacks the courage to discuss this law while pushing it through. They are committing a crime against the public."

He also pointed out that the Ministry of Justice, which understands the necessity of supplementary investigations for victims and citizens, ultimately chose not to participate in the debate, adding, "If this law passes, the cowardice of the Democratic Party and Ministry of Justice officials will remain evident."

Han emphasized that supplementary investigation rights are not merely a prosecutor's privilege but a victim's right, stating, "If supplementary investigation rights are abolished, victims will lose their right to request further investigations." He expressed concern that cases like the Jang Yoon-gi incident could increase, leading to a never-ending cycle of back-and-forth requests in murder cases, which he termed a "ping-pong hell," ultimately harming the powerless and financially disadvantaged citizens.

He further criticized the Democratic Party for lacking alternatives, asserting, "The right to request supplementary investigations already exists. The entire process of transferring cases is designed by people like Seo Young-kyu (Chair of the Legislative and Judiciary Committee), who are out of touch with reality."

Regarding the inclusion of provisions related to dismissing charges in the amendment, he remarked, "This is legislation for President Lee Jae-myung," asserting that South Korea should not become a country that undermines its judicial system for the benefit of a single powerful individual.