Opposition Judiciary Committee Members: "Abolishing the Prosecution Is Unconstitutional... Request for Injunction Against Special Prosecutor Act Amendment"

Kyungwon Na Urges Swift Appointment of Committee Secretary
Accuses Ruling Party of Unilateral Actions

On September 9, members of the People Power Party on the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee demanded that the government and the ruling party immediately halt discussions on government reorganization, including the dismantling of the prosecution. As Jeong Cheongrae, leader of the Democratic Party, reiterated his intention to abolish the Public Prosecution Office before Chuseok, the opposition party launched a full-scale response.

Members of the People Power Party's Judiciary Committee held a press conference on the 9th at the National Assembly opposing judicial reforms centered on the separation of the Public Prosecution Office and the Serious Crime Investigation Office, as well as the increase in the number of Supreme Court justices, which are being promoted by the government and the Democratic Party of Korea under the Government Organization Act amendment. From left: Park Juntae, Joo Jinwoo, Cho Baesook, Na Kyungwon, Song Seokjun. September 9, 2025. Photo by Kim Hyunmin

Kyungwon Na, a member of the People Power Party, held a press conference at the main building of the National Assembly in the afternoon with fellow Judiciary Committee members Gyutaek Kwak, Jinwoo Joo, Seokjun Song, Juntae Park, and Baesook Cho, emphasizing, "Since the beginning of the Lee Jaemyung administration, the government and ruling party have been fully committed to rapidly dismantling the prosecution and expanding Supreme Court justices as a means to dominate the judiciary."

Na stated, "Dismantling the prosecution is a clear violation of the Constitution," adding, "The Prosecutor General is explicitly stipulated in Article 89 of the Constitution, which presupposes the existence of the Public Prosecution Office. Therefore, the Public Prosecution Office is a constitutional institution in the broad sense, and such an institution cannot be abolished by law."

She continued, "Abolishing the Public Prosecution Office and establishing a new Public Prosecution Office is no different from changing the titles of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly to those of the People's Assembly, simply because their roles are not specifically defined in the Constitution." "The biggest problem with dismantling the Public Prosecution Office is the infringement on the rights and human rights of the people," she explained.

Na also criticized the Democratic Party's consideration of establishing a Special Tribunal for Insurrection, saying, "In short, it means they want to control both the prosecution's investigations and the trial outcomes at their discretion. This is clearly an unconstitutional idea that infringes on judicial independence as guaranteed by the Constitution. Any rulings resulting from this would be subject to constitutional litigation."

Jinwoo Joo, a former prosecutor, commented on the proposal to increase the number of Supreme Court justices, saying, "If increasing the number of justices is truly for the people, why did the Democratic Party, as the majority in both the 21st and 22nd National Assembly, not even discuss it until Lee Jaemyung became president? This is simply an attempt to appoint justices as they please."

Joo added, "Was it not because the appointment authority belonged to the ruling party during the Yoon Sukyeol administration that they avoided the issue until now? This is an obvious political maneuver."

Na also criticized the Democratic Party for not submitting the proposal to appoint her as secretary of the Judiciary Committee, stating, "I once again urge them to promptly appoint the committee secretary. All discussions are taking place within the Judiciary Committee, yet they are unilaterally pushing forward while delaying the secretary's appointment."

Meanwhile, the People Power Party Judiciary Committee members filed a request with the Constitutional Court for an injunction to suspend the effect of the so-called "Stronger Special Prosecutor Act," which passed the Judiciary Committee under the Democratic Party's leadership.

Gyutaek Kwak told reporters, "We filed an injunction with the Constitutional Court this morning to suspend the effect of the bill that passed the Judiciary Committee last week." Na explained, "This bill was processed through an illegal vote by the Judiciary Committee without the appointment of a secretary."