DPK aims to promulgate prosecution reform bill before Yoon takes office: floor leader
Rep. Yun Ho-jung, DP floor leader / Yonhap
The ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) aims to complete all legislative procedures for a bill depriving the prosecution of its investigative power and promulgate it into a law at the outgoing administration's last Cabinet meeting, the party's floor leader said Tuesday.
The DPK has been pushing for what it calls a "complete deprivation of the prosecutorial investigative right" as part of efforts to reform the powerful law enforcement agency that has long been accused of abusing its power for political purposes.
The liberal party has been quickening steps to complete the reform ahead of President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol's May 10 inauguration and planned to hold a plenary meeting of its lawmakers Tuesday afternoon to decide on whether, when and how to push for it.
Speaking on a radio program, floor leader, Rep. Yun Ho-jung, said the DPK aims to make the bill a law through promulgation at a Cabinet meeting before the end of the current administration, because incoming President Yoon Suk-yeol is expected to veto the bill.
The last Cabinet meeting of the outgoing administration is scheduled for May 3.
"The way not to lose a chance is to finish the prosecution reform before the inauguration of President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol," Yun said.
Prosecutor General Kim Oh-soo called on the DPK, Tuesday, to make a "wise decision," a day after he said he was ready to quit if the proposed reform is realized.
"I am expecting it to make a wise decision for the people and the country's future," he told reporters on his way to work at the Supreme Prosecutors Office in southern Seoul earlier in the day. "It's my desperate wish."
In a first reform measure last year, the prosecution was forced to give up the investigative right for all but six major crimes, including corruption and election crimes, while police and the newly established Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials took over other investigations.
The DPK, which holds 172 seats in the 300-member National Assembly, is set to hold a plenary party meeting at 2 p.m. to determine the timing of a legislative bid on removing the prosecution's investigative power entirely and leaving it only with the authority to prosecute. (Yonhap)