Former Local Bar Association Presidents: "Prosecutors’ Supplementary Investigation Authority Is a Safety Belt"

"A Verification Mechanism That Minimizes the Harm of Inadequate and Excessive Investigations"

Lawyers who previously served as presidents of local bar associations have voiced their opposition to the abolition of the prosecution's supplementary investigation authority, which they described as a "safety belt" that prevents unjust harm to the public.

Former Local Bar Association Presidents' Council

In a statement released on July 29, the Former Local Bar Association Presidents' Council stated, "A prosecutor's supplementary investigation is a procedure that supplements the police's initial investigation after a case has been transferred, corrects legal errors, and ensures the appropriateness of indictment. By reviewing case records from the beginning, it acts as a verification mechanism that minimizes damage from poor or excessive investigations and enhances the completeness of indictments."

Regarding the Gwangju high school girl murder case, they remarked, "If prosecutors had been blocked from conducting supplementary investigations, the truth of the case would have remained hidden and only the tears of the victim and her family would remain," adding, "This is a case that proves supplementary investigations serve as a meticulous safety net to realize judicial justice."

They further stated, "It is possible to restrict prosecutors' direct investigations and proactive investigations as much as necessary, but it is imperative to be cautious about abolishing the supplementary investigation function that corrects errors in transferred cases," and added, "The criminal justice system must operate to protect the public and prevent the occurrence of unjust crime victims."

Previously, the Korean Bar Association also released a statement on July 10 opposing the complete abolition of the supplementary investigation authority.

Meanwhile, on July 28, the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee held its first subcommittee meeting to review bills and, led by the ruling party, passed an amendment to the Criminal Procedure Act. The Democratic Party plans to process the amendment at the plenary session on July 30 after going through the full committee meeting on the same day.

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