Jeong Cheongrae and Kim Minseok Clash Over Prosecution Reform... Dispute Over Supplementary Investigative Authority and Special Prosecutor Bill

All Candidates Agree on Need for Prosecution Reform

Kim Minseok: "The Government Proposed Action Since May"

Jeong Cheongrae: "No Bill Has Arrived... Party Leader Was Bypassed"

Jung Cheongrae and Kim Minseok, candidates running for the Democratic Party of Korea’s August 17 National Convention party leader election (in the order of their ballot numbers), clashed head-on during the first televised debate on the 29th over the delay in handling the abolition of the supplementary investigative authority and the party-government consultation procedures regarding prosecution reform.

Kim Minseok and Chung Cheongrae, candidates for the Democratic Party of Korea's party leader, are moving to their seats before the broadcasting debate held on the 29th at MBC in Mapo-gu, Seoul. Photo by the National Assembly Press Photographers Association, Yonhap News Agency

Kim was the one to open the debate. During the joint debate for party leadership candidates held at MBC in Mapo-gu, Seoul, Kim aimed at Jung, stating, "The government has consistently maintained the principle of abolishing supplementary investigative authority, and I also clarified this position as Prime Minister." He continued, "In May, I proposed processing a bill centered on abolishing the supplementary investigative authority, but instead, it was the party that refused to accept it."

Kim further argued, "When the government prepared and sent the first prosecution reform bill, Jung Cheongrae, who was then the party representative, told us to send it as is, so we did. Now, it is hard to understand why he is acting as if he corrected a faulty government proposal, when, in fact, it was the party that delayed the discussion."

Jung responded, "Kim claims he requested processing in May, but such a request requires an actual bill. Yet, even now, the government bill has not been submitted." He added, "It is not accurate to suggest that what was communicated to the policy chief was a direct request to the party leader." Jung further said, "Had we processed the government proposal as it was, there would have been significant backlash from party members," emphasizing, "The reforms the party implemented are what constitute the prosecution reform being promoted by the Democratic Party."

There was also a heated debate over the so-called 'Special Prosecutor Bill on Fabricated Charges,' which essentially grants the special prosecutor the authority to cancel indictments and which the Democratic Party recently submitted to the National Assembly.

Song Younggil questioned, "The Special Prosecutor Bill on Fabricated Charges, submitted on April 30 during Jung Cheongrae's tenure as party leader, included a provision allowing the special prosecutor to cancel indictments. This became a controversy during the June 3 local elections. Was submitting the bill right before the local elections truly helpful to the party?"

In response, Jung stated, "I do not believe that the provision on canceling indictments posed any legal issues. However, given the significant controversy during the June 3 local election process, this is a matter that should be decided through renewed consensus as a party policy."

Kim asserted, "If there was a fabricated indictment, the principle should be to rectify it. Whether the special prosecutor cancels the indictment or the prosecution corrects it on its own, we should choose the method that commands the greatest public consensus."

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