A recent public opinion survey indicates that opposition to the abolition of the prosecutors' supplementary investigation authority, promoted by the Democratic Party, surpasses support for it.
According to a report by Yonhap News on July 17, a survey conducted by Gallup Korea from July 14 to 16 among 1,003 adults aged 18 and older found that 61% believe the authority should be maintained to prevent inadequate investigations and to check police power.
In contrast, 23% of respondents said it should be completely abolished based on the principle of separating prosecution and investigation, while 16% withheld their opinions.
Among supporters of the Democratic Party, 46% favored maintaining the authority, while 39% supported its abolition. In the progressive camp, opinions were nearly evenly split, with 46% in favor of maintenance and 42% for abolition. Among supporters of the People Power Party, 81% favored keeping the authority, while only 8% supported its abolition. In the centrist group, 64% supported maintenance, and 23% favored abolition.
In a previous survey conducted by Gallup Korea in September of last year regarding a proposal to abolish the prosecution office and establish a public prosecution office and a serious crime investigation agency, 51% supported the proposal while 31% opposed it.
Gallup noted, "At that time, 82% of Democratic Party supporters were in favor, but it appears that they are not as enthusiastic about the current proposal to abolish the supplementary investigation authority."
Regarding the return of independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon to the People Power Party after winning a by-election in Busan's Buk-gap district, 28% supported his return, while 37% opposed it. Meanwhile, 35% withheld their opinions. Among supporters of the People Power Party, 42% were in favor, while 44% opposed.
Among those who identified as "somewhat conservative," 42% supported his return, while 34% opposed it. Among those who identified as "very conservative," 38% supported it, while 53% opposed it. In the centrist and progressive groups, 28% and 19%, respectively, supported his return.
Looking ahead to the economic outlook for the next year, 34% expressed optimism, while 37% were pessimistic. Compared to the previous month, optimism decreased by 2 percentage points, while pessimism increased by 2 percentage points.
Regarding household financial prospects for the coming year, 48% responded that they expect things to remain the same, while 23% believe they will improve, and 26% think they will worsen.
This survey was conducted using a random sampling method through telephone interviews with virtual numbers.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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