'Comprehensive Special Prosecutor Extension Bill' Passes Cabinet... Investigation Period Extended by One Month, 20 More Personnel Added

A bill to extend the investigation period of the Second Comprehensive Special Prosecutor, which is tasked with probing the unresolved issues of the three major special prosecutors (the rebellion case, the Kim Gun-hee case, and the Chae Hae-byeong case), has passed the Cabinet meeting.

On the 21st, during the first plenary session of the July extraordinary National Assembly held at the National Assembly, the Second Comprehensive Special Prosecutor Extension Act (Partial Amendment to the Act on Appointment of Special Prosecutors for the Investigation of Internal and External Rebellion and Abuse of Power by Yoon Seok-yeol and Kim Gun-hee), which was introduced the previous day, passed without the participation of the People Power Party. Photo by Hyunmin Kim

On the afternoon of July 21, during an extraordinary Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Han Seong-sook, the government deliberated and approved the amendment to the Comprehensive Special Prosecutor Act. The core of this amendment is to extend the special prosecutor’s investigation period, originally set to end on July 24, by an additional 30 days until August 23. The special prosecutor’s office, which was launched in February, had previously extended its investigation period twice under the existing law.

The amendment also adds “interference with audits by public officials” as a target offense for special prosecution. It increases the number of dispatched public officials from the current 130 to 150. Additionally, the new provisions specify that some special investigators should be designated as trial attorneys and require advance consultation on major matters that may overturn previous special prosecutor decisions.

Earlier in the day, this bill was passed at a National Assembly plenary session led by the Democratic Party of Korea, with lawmakers from the People Power Party and the Reform New Party abstaining from the vote.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.