[Full Text] Ruling and Opposition Party Floor Leaders Agree on Mediation Proposal for 'Geomsubanbak' Bill

[Asia Economy Reporter Oh Ju-yeon] On the 22nd, National Assembly Speaker Park Byeong-seok, Democratic Party Floor Leader Park Hong-geun, and People Power Party Floor Leader Kwon Seong-dong officially agreed on the Speaker's final compromise proposal for the 'Geomsu Wanbak' (Complete Removal of Prosecutorial Investigation Rights) bill. The ruling and opposition parties decided to pass the prosecution reform bill based on the compromise proposal during the April extraordinary session of the National Assembly.

Below is the full text of the agreement.

1. The prosecution's direct investigation rights and prosecution rights shall be separated. The prosecution's direct investigation rights are temporary, and even in cases of direct investigation, the investigating prosecutor and the prosecuting prosecutor shall be separated.

2. In Article 4, Paragraph 1, Subparagraph 1(a) of the Prosecutors' Office Act, public official crimes, election crimes, defense industry crimes, and major disasters shall be deleted. When the crime response capabilities of other investigative agencies reach a certain level, the prosecution's direct investigation rights shall be abolished.

3. To reduce the total volume of the prosecution's direct investigations, the current five anti-corruption and strong investigation divisions will be reduced to three. The number of anti-corruption prosecutors remaining will also be limited to a certain level.

4. Investigations that deviate from the justification and identity of the crime are prohibited. Separate investigations are prohibited. It is stipulated that investigations can be conducted within the scope that does not harm the unity and identity of the case for cases where the prosecution requests corrective action and cases where the complainant raises objections.

5. A Judicial Reform Special Committee with the authority to review bills will be formed. This committee will intensively discuss the overall judicial system, including the tentative Central Crime Investigation Agency and a Korean-style FBI. The Central Crime Investigation Agency will complete legislative measures within six months after the committee's formation and will be launched within one year after the legislative measures. Once the Central Crime Investigation Agency and the Korean-style FBI are launched, the prosecution's direct investigation rights will be abolished. Adjustments to the powers of other investigative agencies due to the establishment of the Central Crime Investigation Agency will also be discussed. The Judicial Reform Special Committee will consist of 13 members, with the chairperson from the Democratic Party. The committee members will be seven from the Democratic Party, five from the People Power Party, and one from a non-negotiating group. The committee will also prepare measures to ensure fairness, neutrality, and judicial control over investigations conducted by all investigative agencies.

6. Crimes committed by officials of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials are included in the prosecution's duties.

7. The prosecution reform bill will be passed during this April extraordinary session of the National Assembly.

8. The related amendments to the Prosecutors' Office Act and the Criminal Procedure Act will be enforced four months after the date of promulgation.

April 22, 2022. Democratic Party Floor Leader Park Hong-geun, People Power Party Floor Leader Kwon Seong-dong