"Discussing Whether to Consult with New Government"
Investigation Authority Roadmap to Be Finalized at Tomorrow's Party Meeting
Kim Yong-min, Supreme Council Member of the Democratic Party of Korea, is attending the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on the 1st and delivering an opening remark. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@
[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jun-yi] Kim Yong-min, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, emphasized that the Democratic Party’s stance on prosecutorial reform is to create a separate investigative agency such as the Serious Crime Investigation Office and transfer investigative authority to it. However, he explained that opinions within the party are divided on whether to stick to the 'Democratic Party plan' or to prepare a negotiated proposal considering the launch of the next government.
On the 11th, on MBC Radio's 'Kim Jong-bae's Focus,' Rep. Kim stated, "The Democratic Party plan is to create a separate investigative agency called the Serious Crime Investigation Office or the Special Investigation Office by establishing a prosecutorial reform committee and transfer investigative authority to it."
He added, "However, opinions are divided within the Democratic Party, and discussions are ongoing. Since we are in a regime transition period, the debate is whether to insist on the Democratic Party plan or to negotiate with the new government, considering the investigative framework the new government envisions, and to present our plan while accepting the new government’s plan for negotiation. This is currently under discussion."
He continued, "It seems difficult to negotiate directly with the People Power Party right now. If the separation of investigation and prosecution passes as law, it basically assumes that the Serious Crime Investigation Office Act will not pass together, which means investigative authority will be transferred to the police. Whether to let the police continue investigations or to create a separate investigative office needs further discussion. If no negotiation occurs and investigations are left to the police, the Democratic Party has prepared and established laws for checks and balances on the police."
In response to the question, "Why push for the bill at this timing?" he said, "We are at the stage of keeping our promise. During the 20th National Assembly, we lacked enough seats, so we sought a compromise, but since the opening of the 21st National Assembly, discussions have continued from the start that investigation and prosecution should be separated."
He added, "It seems President Moon Jae-in’s idea was to minimize confusion that could arise when investigation and prosecution are completely separated from the beginning."
Rep. Kim expects that the party’s official stance will be smoothly adopted at the general assembly of lawmakers to be held tomorrow. He explained, "No lawmaker opposed the separation of investigation and prosecution itself. I think we need to discuss the overall roadmap for investigative authority at the general assembly tomorrow and reach a conclusion."
Regarding the deadline for processing, he emphasized, "If discussions are proceeding quickly, I think it should be processed within the April National Assembly. If reform is delayed with uncertainty, internal momentum will be lost due to various reasons opposing reform, and reform will fail."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
