Jung Cheong-rae, a member of the Democratic Party, stated on June 25 that "the complete abolition of investigative powers is the true dissolution of the Prosecutor's Office." This statement comes a day after he stepped down from his leadership role, emphasizing the need for the full abolition of these powers as part of ongoing prosecutorial reforms ahead of the party convention scheduled for August 17.
In a Facebook post, Jung urged, "We must abolish investigative powers immediately," and called for the government to submit the criminal procedure law to the National Assembly without delay, asserting the need to secure the chairmanship of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee to facilitate voting on the bill.
He also expressed the importance of passing the criminal procedure law in the National Assembly before Constitution Day and ensuring the establishment of the Public Prosecution Service and the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency by October.
However, there are differing opinions within the party regarding the abolition of investigative powers. The pro-Jung faction advocates a strong stance, while the pro-Lee faction calls for caution. President Lee Jae-myung has previously stated that he would leave the discussion on investigative powers to the National Assembly.
The issue of abolishing investigative powers is expected to be a central topic at the upcoming party convention, with potential candidates including Jung Cheong-rae, Prime Minister Kim Min-seok, and lawmaker Song Young-gil being mentioned as contenders.
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.