[Young Forum] Supplementary Investigative Authority and Divergent Fears

Why the 2030 Generation Is Turning Away from the Democratic Party

The Entrenchment of "Lack of Listening" and "Communication Breakdown"

Continued Indifference to "Fear and Distrust" Will Only Deepen the Divide

The media and political circles often analyze the '2030 generation' as 'becoming much more right-wing' or 'leaving the Democratic Party of Korea.' However, the reality confirmed through the local elections on June 3 was somewhat different from this widespread perception. Various opinion polls have shown that support for the progressive Democratic Party of Korea and the conservative People Power Party has become almost equal, and in fact, the so-called 'non-affiliated' group, those with no specific party allegiance, now represents the largest proportion.

It is true that many have turned away from the People Power Party, whose main talking points have become the repetitive calls for the return of the impeached former president and conspiracy theories around election fraud. By comparison, the Democratic Party of Korea has received relatively high expectations. Public support for the Lee Jaemyung government, which blocked the declaration of martial law by the former president and achieved a change in administration, remains strong. The drive for reform has been bold and sometimes abrasive, but the public, worn out by the former administration’s incompetence, watched the Lee Jaemyung government with a mixture of hope and concern.

However, this sentiment has gradually shifted, and now it seems that a considerable number of people in the 2030 generation considers the Democratic Party of Korea as another 'group that doesn't listen.' The move to abolish prosecutors’ supplementary investigation rights—a project long touted as the ultimate stage of prosecution reform—appears to have been a decisive turning point. This was especially true for the 2030 generation, who are uniquely vulnerable to sexual violence, stalking, and dating violence, and thus experience heightened anxiety on these issues. At the root of this feeling lies the incompetence of the police. Young people who have reported crimes, only to be left unprotected while investigations drag on, living in fear that perpetrators might return, no longer trust the police. They feel that the state turns its back on them in moments of real need. It is for this reason that some are now questioning whether the current reforms are truly headed in the right direction. Yet, there is a strong sense that the Democratic Party of Korea dismisses these concerns as mere 'anti-reform' backlash. As a result, young people may now see the Democratic Party of Korea as a force that is deaf to their voices.

There are, of course, many citizens and members of the 2030 generation who support prosecutorial reform. They remember all too well the targeted investigations by politically motivated prosecutors and the nation's history of state violence. For those who recall late former President Roh Moo-hyun—who died during a prosecutorial investigation marked by overreaching power—prosecutorial reform is not just a political slogan, but a matter that touches everyday life. The abolition of supplementary investigation rights is an extension and a part of the process of 'normalization.'

At the 3rd plenary session of the July extraordinary National Assembly held on the 31st of last month, the partial amendment to the Criminal Procedure Act, which focused on abolishing the supplementary investigation rights of prosecutors that was submitted the previous day, was passed, and members of the Democratic Party of Korea applauded. Yonhap News Agency

In this way, some fear a state that fails to protect individuals, while others fear a violent state in which a fair justice system does not function. Nevertheless, in reality, are not all hearts the same? The hope for a just and safe nation.

Whether the Democratic Party of Korea is seen by the youth as a 'villain' or a 'hero' does not really matter. I also wish to understand the deeply rooted anger of the 5060 generation and their eagerness for reforming prosecutorial power. But just as much, I want to question whether the Democratic Party of Korea is truly listening to the fears and distrust expressed by the 2030 generation. The wounds of those hurt by politically motivated prosecutors are important, but just as significant are the anxieties of citizens who fear the state will not protect them.

Can the abolition of supplementary investigation rights really make the country safer? The 2030 generation, burdened by fear, continues to ask this question. Listening to these concerns does not mean abandoning reform. The 2030 and 5060 generations are indeed different, living in different times, but both are citizens who desire a safe nation. They are simply voicing different fears. The reason the 2030 generation is turning away from the Democratic Party of Korea is not because they have become more right-wing or anti-reform. The moment concerns are stigmatized or dismissed, citizens quietly close their ears and turn away. It is then that distance between the Democratic Party of Korea and the public grows cold and wide.

Bae Kanghoon, Co-CEO of Political Think Tank Valid

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