South Korea's Parliament Debates Cuts to Prosecutor Powers Amid Party Clash

The ruling Democratic Party has submitted an amendment to the criminal procedure law that would abolish the prosecutor's supplementary investigation authority, deleting references to prosecutors as the primary investigative body and limiting them to advisory roles while strengthening their request powers. The opposition People Power Party rejected the move, arguing that the authority is needed to check police dominance and proposing alternative legislation.

In a related vote, the same committee approved a bill extending the mandate of the comprehensive special prosecutor by 30 days and expanding its scope to include audit‑obstruction cases. Opposition lawmakers criticized the extension as political retaliation and suggested it should only last until President Lee Jae‑myung leaves office.