South Korean parties clash over prosecutor disciplinary and investigation laws

South Korean political parties are engaged in a heated dispute over legislative reforms to the criminal justice system. In a recent subcommittee meeting of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, discussions regarding the ‘Prosecutor Dismissal Act’ were suspended following strong opposition from the People Power Party. The Democratic Party seeks to expand disciplinary measures, including dismissal, for prosecutors to align with the proposed establishment of a Prosecution Service. Conversely, the People Power Party argues that prosecutors require stronger job security and independence, especially as their investigative functions are being restructured.

Simultaneously, the People Power Party has criticized the Democratic Party-led passage of an amendment to the Major Crimes Investigation Agency (MCIA) Act through the Public Administration and Security Committee. The amendment allows prosecutors to request supplementary investigations for seven major crime categories, including sexual violence and child abuse. The People Power Party has labeled this a ‘patchwork amendment,’ arguing that instead of creating new investigative structures within the MCIA, the government should restore the prosecutors' original supplementary investigation rights that were previously stripped away.