Han Byeong-do, acting leader of the Democratic Party, warned the People Power Party on July 30 against hindering legislative progress and prosecutorial reform as they prepare for a filibuster against the proposed amendments to the Criminal Procedure Act, which includes the abolition of supplementary investigative powers.
During a policy coordination meeting at the National Assembly, Han stated, "Today, we are pushing for the passage of urgent livelihood bills, including the special prosecutor law for the election commission and amendments to the Criminal Procedure Act and the National Assembly Act. However, the People Power Party is once again seeking to block these important reforms with a filibuster."
He added, "The People Power Party is irresponsibly holding livelihood bills hostage while engaging in political strife. They are leaving discussions in committee and abstaining from votes, yet they are obstructing the legislative process in the National Assembly with filibusters."
Han specifically pointed out the opposition's rejection of the Criminal Procedure Act amendments and the proposed shortening of the fast-track period during the full meetings of the Legislative and Judiciary Committee and the Operations Committee held on July 29.
He emphasized, "It is contradictory for the People Power Party, which has avoided participation and review in committee, to claim that there is legislative dictatorship and unilateral processing. If there are disagreements on the bills, they should be discussed and voted on responsibly in the meeting room. Walking out when it is unfavorable and delaying with filibusters is not opposition; it is irresponsibility."
Furthermore, Han stated that the proposed amendments to the Criminal Procedure Act, which include the abolition of supplementary investigative powers, are in line with the demands of the times. He called the assertion that only direct investigative powers for prosecutors can protect the public a false narrative propagated by the People Power Party.
He concluded, "If the People Power Party genuinely cares about the rights of the people, I hope they will carefully examine the protective measures included in the bill. The Democratic Party will ensure that the amendments to the Criminal Procedure Act are completed without any setbacks, allowing the Public Prosecution Service and the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency to launch effectively."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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