The Democratic Party of Korea on August 2 defended its proposed amendments to the criminal procedure law, which have faced criticism for alleged misuse of police investigative powers and the inclusion of grounds for dismissal, stating, "This is completely untrue. It guarantees victims' rights and poses no legal issues."
Seong-kyu Seo, chair of the Legislative Judiciary Committee, and Seung-won Kim, the ruling party's committee member, held an urgent press conference at the National Assembly to share their views on the amendments that were approved in a plenary session.
In response to claims that police could misuse their investigative powers, Kim stated, "We can attach cameras to police officers during investigations. There are also laws against distortion of the law," adding that in cases of significant misuse, complainants and victims can report to prosecutors for correction.
He emphasized, "The system separates investigation by judicial police officers from prosecution by prosecutors to ensure checks and cooperation," noting that this framework is commonly adopted in advanced countries.
Regarding speculation that the clarification of grounds for dismissal was aimed at President Lee Jae-myung's trial, Seo dismissed the notion, stating, "This content is already included in existing law."
He added, "This serves as a good alternative for the judiciary to quickly assess and restore victims who are wrongfully prosecuted, and I never imagined there would be malicious distortions and criticisms linking it to specific individuals' trials."
Seong-kyu Seo, chair of the Legislative Judiciary Committee, and Seung-won Kim, the ruling party's committee member, held an urgent press conference at the National Assembly to share their views on the amendments that were approved in a plenary session.
In response to claims that police could misuse their investigative powers, Kim stated, "We can attach cameras to police officers during investigations. There are also laws against distortion of the law," adding that in cases of significant misuse, complainants and victims can report to prosecutors for correction.
He emphasized, "The system separates investigation by judicial police officers from prosecution by prosecutors to ensure checks and cooperation," noting that this framework is commonly adopted in advanced countries.
Regarding speculation that the clarification of grounds for dismissal was aimed at President Lee Jae-myung's trial, Seo dismissed the notion, stating, "This content is already included in existing law."
He added, "This serves as a good alternative for the judiciary to quickly assess and restore victims who are wrongfully prosecuted, and I never imagined there would be malicious distortions and criticisms linking it to specific individuals' trials."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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