The Democratic Party of Korea expressed differing opinions on July 14 regarding the proposed amendment to the Criminal Procedure Act, which includes the abolition of supplementary investigation rights as part of criminal justice reform. However, no lawmakers advocated for the complete retention of these rights.
After a general meeting at the National Assembly, spokesperson Lee Joo-hee stated, "The Democratic Party has entered a full-fledged deliberation process this month," adding that the aim is to enhance the quality of the legislation to prevent any adverse effects on the public during the reform process.
Lee noted that about 15 members shared their views during the meeting, highlighting the constructive discussions that took place with mutual respect.
Currently, four bills related to the amendment of the Criminal Procedure Act have been proposed. The Democratic Party is gathering various opinions centered around the proposal put forth by its internal task force on the Criminal Procedure Act. This task force includes lawmakers Kim Seung-won and Lee Hae-sik, as well as Kim Han-kyu and Park Sang-hyuk.
Additionally, proposals co-sponsored by Democratic Party member Kim Yong-min and Justice Party member Park Eun-jung, along with individual proposals from lawmakers Cha Gyu-geun and Hong Gi-won, have been presented.
Notably, the task force has suggested replacing supplementary investigation rights with supplementary investigation request rights. In contrast, Hong's proposal includes provisions for retaining some supplementary investigation rights in exceptional cases, such as sexual violence, leading to internal disagreements.
Regarding this matter, Lee emphasized the party's commitment to conducting deliberations swiftly and thoroughly. However, she cautioned that setting a deadline could impede the deliberation process.
Meanwhile, the amendment to the Criminal Procedure Act could impact the upcoming launch of the Serious Crime Investigation Agency and the Prosecution Service in October. Lee remarked that if the necessary legislation is not prepared to clarify how these organizations will operate, it would constitute a dereliction of duty by the National Assembly.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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