Jeong Jeom-sig (2L), floor leader of the main opposition People Power Party, speaks to reporters at the National Assembly in Seoul, South Kore, 31 July 2026, shortly after the parliament passed a bill, introduced by the ruling Democratic Party, during a plenary session to revise the Criminal Procedure Act to strip the prosecution of its direct investigative powers. Lawmakers of the opposition party left the session in protest, abstaining from a vote on the bill. Photo by YONHAP / EPA
July 31 (Asia Today) — People Power Party floor leader Chung Jeom-sik on Friday accused South Korea’s governing party of seeking to abolish prosecutors’ supplementary investigative authority to help President Lee Jae-myung avoid his criminal trials.
Chung called the proposed revision to the Criminal Procedure Act “an unprecedentedly harmful law” that would remain a disgrace in the country’s constitutional history.
He also demanded the withdrawal of a separate bill that would shorten the review period for legislation designated for fast-track consideration, calling it a measure that would turn the National Assembly into a rubber stamp.
“In a few hours, the filibuster will be forcibly ended through collusion by the broader governing bloc and this unprecedentedly harmful law will pass,” Chung said at a People Power Party floor strategy meeting.
He claimed that more than half of the public opposed eliminating prosecutors’ supplementary investigative authority but that the Democratic Party was disregarding public opinion.
The bill would bar prosecutors from conducting additional investigations after police transfer a case to them. Prosecutors would instead be able to request that police conduct further investigative work.
Supporters say the measure would complete the separation of investigative and prosecutorial authority and strengthen defendants’ rights. Opponents say it could delay investigations and weaken protections for crime victims.
Chung focused particularly on a provision governing when courts may dismiss criminal indictments.
He accused the Democratic Party of quietly adding language during a meeting of the National Assembly’s Legislation and Judiciary Committee that could make it easier to terminate the president’s pending trials.
“Is the ‘working National Assembly’ advocated by the Democratic Party merely a legislature creating an escape route to erase President Lee Jae-myung’s trials?” Chung said.
The claim that the provision was designed to end Lee’s cases represents the opposition party’s interpretation of the legislation.
Chung said ordinary citizens could suffer from inadequate or delayed investigations if prosecutors lost their supplementary investigative authority while powerful figures could escape legal scrutiny.
He described the bill as “the end of the rule of law.”
Opposition plans second filibuster
Chung also criticized a revision to the National Assembly Act scheduled to follow the criminal procedure bill.
The legislation would reduce the maximum review period for fast-track bills from 330 days to 90 days.
“This is an authoritarian law intended to turn the National Assembly more quickly into a machine that raises its hand and follows orders,” Chung said.
The fast-track system was introduced to prevent legislation from being blocked indefinitely while preserving time for negotiations among political parties.
Chung said the Democratic Party’s proposal would destroy that balance and encourage the hasty passage of legislation.
“There is a saying that trying to arrive 10 minutes earlier can send you 10 years too soon,” he said. “If legislation is rushed, the country could suffer lasting consequences.”
He called the proposal a “rubber-stamp National Assembly law” and said it should be withdrawn.
The People Power Party planned to begin a second filibuster immediately after debate ended on the Criminal Procedure Act revision.
Choi Eun-seok, the party’s senior floor spokesperson, said the filibuster against the National Assembly Act revision was expected to begin at about 5 p.m.
Chung also rejected a demand from Democratic Party members of the Science, ICT, Broadcasting and Communications Committee that People Power Party lawmaker Lee Jin-sook be removed from the committee.
He called the demand an improper attempt to interfere with the opposition party’s committee assignments.
“The Democratic Party must abandon its authoritarian belief that the National Assembly is its property or its plaything,” Chung said.
Election commission investigation
The People Power Party said it would move quickly to establish a recommendation committee for a special counsel investigation of the National Election Commission.
The National Assembly approved the investigation bill Thursday through an agreement between the governing and opposition parties.
The investigation is expected to examine a ballot shortage during the June 3 local elections and other allegations involving the election commission.
Choi said the party was reviewing potential candidates from several perspectives.
“We will work to establish the recommendation committee and launch the investigation as quickly as possible,” 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=20260731010011674