South Korea ruling party vows to complete prosecution reform
· UPIJuly 22 (Asia Today) -- South Korea's ruling Democratic Party said Wednesday it would complete legislation stripping prosecutors of their remaining investigative powers before the current National Assembly term ends.
Han Byung-do, the party's acting leader and floor leader, said an amendment to the Criminal Procedure Act abolishing prosecutors' authority to conduct supplementary investigations must be passed during the current parliamentary session.
"If we fail to complete prosecution reform again, the dark history of politically motivated prosecution will repeat itself," Han said during a meeting of the party's Supreme Council at the National Assembly.
"If future generations ask why we failed to act when the people gave us the opportunity, what could we say?" he said. "We will not postpone it until the next National Assembly."
Han said prosecutors were used as an instrument for maintaining power during South Korea's military dictatorships, suppressing democracy and human rights.
He said prosecutors continued to wield excessive influence after the country's transition to democracy because they retained both investigative and indictment powers.
"They directly and indirectly intervened in politics through investigations and destroyed people's lives and reputations without being properly held accountable," Han said.
Han also referred to former President Roh Moo-hyun, who died by suicide in 2009 while facing a prosecution investigation involving allegations against members of his family.
"We have engraved deeply in our hearts the tragedy of failing to protect Roh Moo-hyun," Han said. "We cannot forget the grief of being unable to act in the face of a reckless investigation and a campaign of public accusations that drove one person's life to the edge."
Han said the history of politically motivated prosecutions would continue as long as the same officials investigating a case were also empowered to decide whether to bring charges.
The Democratic Party has called for a complete separation of investigative and prosecutorial authority.
"Investigations must be conducted by investigative agencies, while indictments and the maintenance of prosecutions must be handled by the Public Prosecution Office," Han said. "Prosecutors do not investigate. That is both the starting point and the completion of prosecution reform."
Han said differences within the party over the details of the legislation must not be allowed to undermine the principle of separating investigations from indictments or provide a way to restore prosecutors' investigative authority.
"We must create a system in which everyone receives equal and substantial protection from the state, rather than one in which the outcome of a case depends on which prosecutor is assigned," he said.
Han said the party would also establish safeguards to prevent investigative delays and inadequate police work after prosecutors lose their supplementary investigation authority.
He said investigators responsible for deficient investigations could be replaced or subjected to disciplinary requests.
The party also plans to establish a system of cross-investigations in which the police and the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency check each other's work, Han said. Investigative review procedures and internal inspections would also be strengthened.
Han said crime victims would receive stronger rights to challenge investigative decisions, inspect case records and obtain legal assistance.
"We will establish oversight and cooperation mechanisms suited to the new criminal justice system," he said.
-- Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI
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Original Korean report: https://www.asiatoday.co.kr/kn/view.php?key=20260722010007883