Government Organization Act Amendment Abolishing Prosecutors' Office Passes... Gwangju and Jeonnam Lawmakers 'Welcome'

Park Jiwon: "The promise has been kept" on Facebook
Joo Chulhyun: "Abolition of the Prosecutors' Office... Reflects the will of the people"
Shin Jeonghun: "The power that drove Roh Moo-hyun to tragedy is gone"
Kwon Hyangyeop: Criticizes "People Power Party's irresponsibility for skipping the vote"
Kim Won: "Absurd that they left their seats empty during the plenary session"

Result of the parliamentary vote on the government organization amendment bill held on the 26th. Photo by Joo Chulhyun, Facebook capture

On September 26, the first government organization amendment bill of the Lee Jaemyung administration, which includes the abolition of the Prosecutors' Office as a key provision, passed the National Assembly. Several lawmakers from the Gwangju and Jeonnam regions expressed their support on Facebook, while also sharply criticizing opposition party lawmakers who did not participate in the vote.

Park Jiwon, a Democratic Party lawmaker representing Haenam, Wando, and Jindo in Jeonnam, wrote on his Facebook, "The government organization law passed the National Assembly plenary session, overcoming the filibuster by the People Power Party, which I call the 'Prosecutors' Party.' This fulfills President Lee Jaemyung's campaign pledge and keeps the promise made by the Democratic Party, Representative Jeong Cheongrae, and Floor Leader Kim Byunggi to put this issue on the table before Chuseok."

He continued, "The Prosecutors' Office has reached its deserved end, disappearing into the pages of history due to indulgent investigations, biased retaliatory investigations, and investigations that suppressed human rights. Of course, I do not deny their contributions. However, their faults led to today's outcome, which requires a special prosecutor and an end to rebellion. By separating investigation and prosecution, Korea has now become a truly democratic, human rights-centered, and law-based nation."

Joo Chulhyun, a Democratic Party lawmaker representing Yeosu (Gap) in Jeonnam, stated, "The National Assembly plenary session has passed the amendment to the government organization law, which includes the dissolution of the Prosecutors' Office. Once this amendment is promulgated, one year from now, the prosecution function will be handled by the Prosecution Office under the Ministry of Justice, and the investigation function will be handled by the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency under the Ministry of the Interior and Safety. By around October next year, the Prosecutors' Office will disappear into history."

Joo emphasized, "The dissolution of the Prosecutors' Office is a major milestone in prosecutorial reform, reflecting the will of the people, and is a natural consequence of its role as the regime's hunting dog under the Yoon Sukyeol administration."

Shin Jeonghun, a Democratic Party lawmaker representing Naju and Hwasun in Jeonnam, recalled the late President Roh Moo-hyun in response to the passage of the amendment.

Shin wrote, "The moment the Prosecutors' Office is dissolved, my heart aches. The first name that comes to mind at this moment is President Roh Moo-hyun. Thinking of President Roh, whose life was taken by the blade of prosecutorial power, I am left only with a sense of devastation and regret for my helplessness in the face of that tragedy."

He added, "The change we have achieved today is built upon those wounds. The power that drove President Roh to tragedy, the power that tried to bring down President Lee Jaemyung, the power that lorded over the people and claimed to be the law and justice itself-now that power is disappearing into history."

Sharp criticism was also directed at People Power Party lawmakers who did not participate in the vote.

Kwon Hyangyeop, a Democratic Party lawmaker representing Suncheon, Gwangyang, Gokseong, and Gurye in Jeonnam, said, "After a 24-hour filibuster on the government organization law amendment, the bill was passed. After 78 years, the Prosecutors' Office is being abolished and investigation and prosecution are being separated. As expected, the People Power Party lawmakers did not participate in the vote, leaving their seats empty. It is truly cowardly and irresponsible."

Kim Won, a Democratic Party lawmaker representing Mokpo in Jeonnam, also commented, "After passing the government organization law, I am heading home to Mokpo. I am extremely exhausted because of the People Power Party's filibuster. Yet, despite being the ones who demanded the filibuster, they did not even stay in the plenary session. It is truly absurd."

Meanwhile, on September 26, the National Assembly held a plenary session and passed the government organization law amendment with 174 votes in favor, 1 against, and 5 abstentions out of 180 members present. As a result, the Prosecutors' Office will be abolished, and the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency and Prosecution Office will be established, with a one-year grace period.