Lee pushes for DP unity on draft prosecution reform bills

President Lee Jae Myung on Tuesday ordered the government to fully consider the ruling party’s opinion on prosecutorial reform, including the issue of supplementary investigative powers.

President Lee Jae Myung and first lady Kim Hea Kyung arrive at Kansai International Airport in Osaka, Japan on Jan. 13. [YONHAP]

President Lee Jae Myung on Tuesday ordered the government to fully consider the ruling party’s opinion on prosecutorial reform, including the issue of supplementary investigative powers.

“The party must thoroughly deliberate on the issue of prosecutorial reform and supplementary investigation authority, and the government should incorporate its views,” Lee said, according to a statement released by the Blue House. The remarks were made shortly after his arrival in Japan for a summit with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.

The Office for Government Policy Coordination’s prosecutorial reform task force unveiled draft bills on Monday to establish the Office of Prosecution and a Serious Crimes Investigation Agency.

The proposals immediately drew backlash within Lee's own Democratic Party (DP) over provisions that would allow prosecutors in the proposed Office of Prosecution to retain supplementary investigative powers.

During a heated session of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, ruling bloc lawmakers and Justice Minister Jung Sung-ho clashed over the government’s decision to postpone a final conclusion on whether prosecutors should retain those powers.

“You’re saying prosecutors will be given supplementary investigative authority? That’s absurd and must not happen,” said DP Rep. Park Jie-won during the committee’s plenary session.

President Lee Jae Myung and first lady Kim Hea Kyung wave as they depart for Japan from Seoul Air Base in Seongnam, Gyeonggi on Jan. 13. [JOINT PRESS COPRS]

When Jung responded that “alternatives must be discussed to determine how those powers would be supplemented,” Park retorted, “Don’t even dream of it.”

“Is the Ministry of Justice endorsing supplementary investigative powers?” asked Rep. Park Eun-jung of the Rebuilding Korea Party. “The reform bills unveiled today came from the prosecutors seconded to the Prime Minister’s Office task force.”

Jung pushed back, saying, “As far as I’ve been briefed, prosecutors did not play a major role in the task force.” Park Eun-jung responded, “Aren’t those seconded prosecutors the ones actually writing the bills?”

In an attempt to calm tensions, DP leadership emphasized unity.

“The party and the government are aligned,” said floor leader Han Byung-do in a statement.

“There may be diverse opinions among lawmakers in the party regarding prosecutorial reform, particularly about the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency and Office of Prosecution, but there is no disagreement between the party and the government,” said Kim Byung-wook, senior presidential secretary for political affairs.

BY CHO MUN-GYU [lim.jeongwon@joongang.co.kr]