After Preparing an Alternative, the Subcommittee Will Reconvene for the Maritime Court Establishment Bill
The Four Prosecution Reform Bills to Be Discussed at a Public Hearing on the 28th
The ruling and opposition parties have reached an agreement in the National Assembly Legislation and Judiciary Committee subcommittee to promote a bill for the establishment of a specialized maritime court. The four prosecution reform bills, led by the ruling party, will undergo further discussion on key issues through a public hearing.
On July 25, the first subcommittee for bill review under the National Assembly Legislation and Judiciary Committee reached a consensus between the ruling and opposition parties to proceed with legislation related to the establishment of a maritime court. Kim Yongmin, the subcommittee chair from the Democratic Party, stated, "We decided to prepare an alternative within two weeks, and once the alternative is ready, we will convene the subcommittee. There is a broad agreement to handle this at the next meeting."
According to Chair Kim, discussions on the establishment of the maritime court centered on the bill proposed by Democratic Party lawmaker Park Chan-dae. Park's bill includes the establishment of main branches of the Maritime and International Commercial Court in Incheon and Busan to adjudicate maritime civil cases, maritime administrative cases, and international commercial cases.
Chair Kim elaborated, "There was concern that if the court handles only maritime cases, the number of cases might not be sufficient and maintaining two courts could be burdensome. However, by expanding to include maritime civil, maritime administrative, and international commercial disputes, we believe that a court with comprehensive expertise in international trade and maritime-related disputes would be able to secure a sufficient caseload."
The four prosecution reform bills, led by the ruling party, will be pursued with ample time for discussion. These bills include the bill to abolish the Prosecutors' Office Act, as well as bills for the establishment and operation of the Public Prosecution Office, the Serious Crimes Investigation Office, and the National Investigation Commission. The bills, initiated by the Democratic Party, aim to separate the prosecution's investigative and indictment powers, thereby reducing the power of the prosecution.
Chair Kim stated, "Today, there was a general report and discussion, and a public hearing is scheduled for July 28 at 3 p.m. Even after the public hearing, we plan to allow sufficient time for debate on the four prosecution reform bills."
He added, "The People Power Party has expressed opposition to the four prosecution reform bills, but at the same time, they have also stated that they do not oppose the separation of investigation and indictment powers, but rather see it as necessary. Therefore, detailed discussions on the content will also take place. From now on, we plan to select the main issues first and discuss those key points."
Meanwhile, the Democratic Party has previously stated its intention to complete prosecution reform within the year. An internal, closed prosecution reform task force has been launched to advance related discussions, and both Park Chan-dae and Jung Chungrae, who are candidates for party leader, have pledged to achieve prosecution reform before Chuseok.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
