On September 15, follow-up legislation related to prosecutorial reform was passed in several committees, including the Interior and Safety Committee, the Gender Equality and Family Committee, the Industry, Trade, and Small and Medium Enterprises Committee, and the Political Affairs Committee, all led by the Democratic Party. The party plans to present the bills that passed these committees to the Legislative and Judiciary Committee on the 16th and to the plenary session on the 17th, accelerating the final legislative efforts to conclude prosecutorial reform.
The bill that passed the Interior and Safety Committee, titled 'Partial Amendment to the Act on the Organization and Operation of the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency,' allows the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency (SIA) to conduct supplementary investigations and re-investigations into seven major crimes against socially vulnerable groups, including sexual violence, crimes against children and adolescents, stalking, child abuse, abuse of the disabled, elder abuse, and domestic violence.
The Gender Equality, Industry, and Political Affairs Committees also completed supplementary legislative procedures to minimize confusion following the abolition of prosecutors' direct and supplementary investigative powers. The amendments that passed these committees include provisions to expand the scope limited to the Prosecutor General to the SIA Chief and to mandate the transfer of all cases to prosecutors, known as 'full case transfer.'
After completing the work in each committee, the Democratic Party plans to hold consecutive meetings of the Legislative and Judiciary Committee and the plenary session on the 16th and 17th to swiftly finalize follow-up legislation related to prosecutorial reform. Lee Hae-sik, the ruling party's floor leader in the Interior and Safety Committee, explained to Aju Economy after the meeting that the relevant amendments are scheduled to be transferred to the Legislative and Judiciary Committee on the 16th, along with plans for presentation at the plenary session on the 17th.
The Democratic Party also reviewed 24 related bills, including amendments to the Public Prosecution Service Act and the Criminal Procedure Act, in the Legislative and Judiciary Committee's subcommittee the previous day. Kim Ui-gyeom, the ruling party's floor leader in the Legislative and Judiciary Committee, told reporters after the subcommittee meeting that they reviewed necessary changes following the launch of the SIA and the Public Prosecution Service, and they plan to continue discussions regarding the prosecutors' disciplinary authority, where there are differences with the People Power Party.
The People Power Party criticized the Democratic Party's actions as "unilateral and hasty legislation." In all committees except the Gender Equality Committee, the People Power Party protested against the Democratic Party's unilateral proceedings and walked out. Kang Myung-gu, the opposition's floor leader in the Interior and Safety Committee, stated, "We cannot agree to a hasty reorganization with the launch of the SIA and the Public Prosecution Service just around the corner." Political Affairs Committee members Seo Il-jun and Industry and Trade Committee member Koo Ja-geun also expressed their opposition to the establishment of the SIA and the amendments to the Criminal Procedure Act, stating, "The Democratic Party has not even offered a minimal apology or expression of regret" as they left the meeting.
The Gender Equality Committee, chaired by the People Power Party, was the only committee where a bill was processed with bipartisan agreement, although some members of the People Power Party publicly opposed it and abstained from voting. The opposition's floor leader, Kang Seon-young, remarked, "We should not process follow-up legislation without sufficient review of the protection gaps for victims resulting from the abolition of supplementary investigative powers," and left the meeting along with Kim So-hee and Lim Jong-deok.
The bill that passed the Interior and Safety Committee, titled 'Partial Amendment to the Act on the Organization and Operation of the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency,' allows the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency (SIA) to conduct supplementary investigations and re-investigations into seven major crimes against socially vulnerable groups, including sexual violence, crimes against children and adolescents, stalking, child abuse, abuse of the disabled, elder abuse, and domestic violence.
The Gender Equality, Industry, and Political Affairs Committees also completed supplementary legislative procedures to minimize confusion following the abolition of prosecutors' direct and supplementary investigative powers. The amendments that passed these committees include provisions to expand the scope limited to the Prosecutor General to the SIA Chief and to mandate the transfer of all cases to prosecutors, known as 'full case transfer.'
After completing the work in each committee, the Democratic Party plans to hold consecutive meetings of the Legislative and Judiciary Committee and the plenary session on the 16th and 17th to swiftly finalize follow-up legislation related to prosecutorial reform. Lee Hae-sik, the ruling party's floor leader in the Interior and Safety Committee, explained to Aju Economy after the meeting that the relevant amendments are scheduled to be transferred to the Legislative and Judiciary Committee on the 16th, along with plans for presentation at the plenary session on the 17th.
The Democratic Party also reviewed 24 related bills, including amendments to the Public Prosecution Service Act and the Criminal Procedure Act, in the Legislative and Judiciary Committee's subcommittee the previous day. Kim Ui-gyeom, the ruling party's floor leader in the Legislative and Judiciary Committee, told reporters after the subcommittee meeting that they reviewed necessary changes following the launch of the SIA and the Public Prosecution Service, and they plan to continue discussions regarding the prosecutors' disciplinary authority, where there are differences with the People Power Party.
The People Power Party criticized the Democratic Party's actions as "unilateral and hasty legislation." In all committees except the Gender Equality Committee, the People Power Party protested against the Democratic Party's unilateral proceedings and walked out. Kang Myung-gu, the opposition's floor leader in the Interior and Safety Committee, stated, "We cannot agree to a hasty reorganization with the launch of the SIA and the Public Prosecution Service just around the corner." Political Affairs Committee members Seo Il-jun and Industry and Trade Committee member Koo Ja-geun also expressed their opposition to the establishment of the SIA and the amendments to the Criminal Procedure Act, stating, "The Democratic Party has not even offered a minimal apology or expression of regret" as they left the meeting.
The Gender Equality Committee, chaired by the People Power Party, was the only committee where a bill was processed with bipartisan agreement, although some members of the People Power Party publicly opposed it and abstained from voting. The opposition's floor leader, Kang Seon-young, remarked, "We should not process follow-up legislation without sufficient review of the protection gaps for victims resulting from the abolition of supplementary investigative powers," and left the meeting along with Kim So-hee and Lim Jong-deok.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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