Lead
The South Korean government has reached a final conclusion that the prosecution should not be allowed the right to supplementary investigations, Prime Minister Kim Min-seok said Thursday. The announcement marks a significant step in the ongoing prosecution reform push, which has been a contentious issue between the ruling and opposition parties.
Speaking to reporters, Kim stated, "The basic principle of the Lee Jae Myung administration's prosecution reform push is the separation of investigation and indictment." He added, "Scrapping the prosecution's supplementary investigative right has been finalized as the government's basic position."
Coverage Comparison
Two reports from Yonhap News covered the announcement. Both reports highlighted the government's decision and Prime Minister Kim's remarks, with one report providing additional context on the ruling party's stance and the president's cautious position. The reports noted that whether to allow supplementary investigations or scrap all investigative power has been a hot issue, with the ruling party calling for a complete abolition and the opposition warning of serious negative effects.
The second report elaborated on the government's slight divergence from the ruling Democratic Party, noting President Lee Jae Myung's cautious concern about scrapping all investigative rights, though he agrees with removing the supplementary investigative authority.
Key Claims
Prime Minister Kim Min-seok announced that the government's basic position is to scrap the prosecution's supplementary investigative right, as part of the administration's prosecution reform push based on the principle of separating investigation and indictment.
The ruling Democratic Party has pushed to abolish the prosecution's investigative rights altogether, citing concerns about abuse of power by the prosecution against liberal politicians.
The opposition has argued that scrapping the prosecution's investigative power could cause serious negative effects, as the prosecution has typically compensated for shortfalls in police investigations.
President Lee Jae Myung has voiced cautious concern that negative effects could arise if all of the prosecution's investigative rights are scrapped, while agreeing with stripping the agency of its supplementary investigative authority.
The government will deliver its position to the National Assembly without proposing a new bill, with Prime Minister Kim saying, "Rather than proposing a separate legislative bill, the government will respect the National Assembly's discussions and decision."
The prosecution reform legislation, which calls for reorganizing the government with a focus on dismantling the prosecution and creating two new agencies, passed through the National Assembly and the Cabinet in March and is scheduled to take effect in October.
Perspectives
Ruling Democratic Party
The ruling party has pushed to abolish the prosecution's investigative rights altogether, citing concerns about abuse of power by the prosecution against liberal politicians. The party's stance aligns with the government's decision to scrap the supplementary investigative right.
Opposition
The opposition argues that scrapping the prosecution's investigative power could cause serious negative effects, as the prosecution has often compensated for deficiencies in police investigations. The opposition's concerns reflect a view that the move could undermine the effectiveness of criminal investigations.
President Lee Jae Myung
The president has expressed cautious concern that negative effects could arise if all of the prosecution's investigative rights are scrapped. However, he agrees with the removal of the supplementary investigative authority, indicating a nuanced position that balances reform goals with potential risks.