Ruling Party to Submit Government Organization Act After Public Hearing on the 4th and Party-Government Consultation on the 7th for "Prosecution Reform"

Ministry of the Interior or Ministry of Justice:
Key Issue Over the Placement of the Major Crime Investigation Agency
"Discussions Nearing Final Stage"

The Democratic Party of Korea has decided to introduce a government organization act amendment bill, centered on the abolition of the prosecution service and the separation of investigative and prosecutorial powers, aiming to pass it on the 25th. The party plans to hold a public hearing on the 4th and submit the bill after the 7th.

Jeong Cheongrae, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is speaking at the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on the 1st. Photo by Kim Hyunmin

On the 1st, Chief Spokesman Park Suhyeon told reporters after a high-level strategy meeting at the National Assembly, "We will finalize the party's position and opinions by the 5th," adding, "After finalizing our stance at the high-level party-government meeting on the 7th, we plan to submit the bill."

The public hearing on the 4th will be held during the plenary session of the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee. Representatives from the government, including the Ministry of Justice, as well as legal professionals, will attend to discuss key issues surrounding prosecution reform.

In particular, discussions are expected to focus on comparing and analyzing the advantages and disadvantages of placing the newly established Major Crime Investigation Agency (Jungsoocheong) under either the Ministry of the Interior and Safety or the Ministry of Justice.

Previously, Minister of Justice Jeong Seongho stated that placing the Jungsoocheong under the Ministry of the Interior and Safety could lead to excessive concentration of powers of primary investigative agencies, such as the police and the National Investigation Headquarters, within a single ministry, raising concerns about possible side effects.

However, within the Democratic Party, there is stronger support for placing the Jungsoocheong under the Ministry of the Interior and Safety. The reasoning is that if it is placed under the Ministry of Justice, the intent of separating investigation and prosecution could be undermined, effectively recreating the prosecution service.

In response, President Lee Jaemyung instructed, "Engage in reasonable debate and discussion before the public on the major issues of prosecution reform in order to devise countermeasures and solutions."

Chief Spokesman Park said, "The party's prosecution reform special committee's proposal will serve as the basis for the report and discussion," adding, "We will not hold a perfectly unified discussion, but rather narrow down differences through the general assembly and the public hearing." Regarding concerns that the timeline for submitting the government organization act by the 3rd is too tight, he explained, "We have already spent a great deal of time organizing, discussing, and debating the matter. We are now in the final stages."

The Legislation and Judiciary Committee plans to continue discussions on the justification and necessity of prosecution reform by holding a legislative hearing on the 5th, following the public hearing on the 4th.