Prosecution Refuses Governing Party’s Investigative Power Adjustment Proposal

It is forecasted that the prosecution’s refusal to abide by the Uri Party’s “Proposal for the Adjustment of Investigative Powers” on December 6 will lead to grave difficulty in future legislation procedures.

Supreme Public Prosecutor General Chung Sang-myoung said in an informal gathering with journalists, “There is a plan behind the Uri Party’s actions,” while adding, “The Uri Party’s proposal will not be accepted on any account.”

Chung added, “For the sake of the civil rights of our people, we will never accept the relationship between the prosecution and the police to become equal, such as that of mutual cooperation.”

Minister of Justice Chun Jung-bae reiterated this view during the Uri Party’s high-official policy meeting saying, “There lies a problem in setting the investigative powers of the prosecution and the police on equal terms.”

Minister Chun also added, “The capability, capacity, and security guarantee of the investigative authority must be taken into account,” according to Oh Young-sik, the governing Uri Party’s deputy floor leader.

“I believe it is desirable to address the issue of reallocating investigative powers within the administration’s boundaries,” said Minister Chun, and continued, “I will bring forth the government’s unified proposal by the end of this month.”

Ahead of this, the Supreme Prosecutor’s Office also declared its official refusal of the Uri Party’s proposal.

Park Sang-ok, the director general of the Organization of Investigative Policy and the chief of Lawsuit Trials at the Supreme Public Prosecutor’s Office, in an announcement entitled “The Prosecution’s Standpoint,” said, “The proposal of the adjustment of investigative powers by the Uri Party neglects civil rights issues during police investigation procedures and has unilaterally accepted the claims of the police. I cannot help but point out the negative effects that the proposal might bring upon our nation.”

Park claimed, “I am greatly concerned about the possible infringement of the prosecution’s political neutrality,” and also added, “I look towards exercising complete lawful rights to guarantee the real investigation powers as stated in the existing law, while trying my hardest during the legislation process to constitute a strict system of investigation that can ensure the civil rights of our people to the utmost.”

In the midst of this, prosecutors at the Seoul Central District Public Prosecutor’s Office gathered opinions on whether to hold a conference among rank-and-file prosecutors.

The Seoul East District Public Prosecutor’s Office held a rank-and-file prosecutors conference and in an announcement stated, “The Uri Party’s proposal deprives the prosecution of its investigative powers. It is unacceptable, and the prosecution will strive to protect the civil rights of our people.”

Meanwhile, the Uri Party plans to hold a general meeting of Assembly members today and finalize its position on the issue of the adjustment of investigative authority.

jin0619@donga.com