Gender Equality and Family Committee Passes Follow-Up Bills on Criminal Procedure Act, Including Mandatory Referral of All Cases; People Power Party Walks Out

[Financial News] The Gender Equality and Family Committee of the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea held a plenary meeting on the 15th and passed, under the leadership of the Democratic Party of Korea, follow-up bills stemming from amendments to the Criminal Procedure Act of the Republic of Korea that center on abolishing prosecutors’ direct investigative authority and supplementary investigative authority.
The amendments to the follow-up bills approved by the committee that day mainly revise wording concerning investigative authorities under the Act on the Protection of Children and Youth Against Sex Offenses, the Act on the Prevention of Sexual Traffic and Protection, etc. of Victims, and the Act on the Prevention of Human Trafficking and Protection of Victims.
Amid public concerns that abolishing prosecutors’ direct investigative authority and supplementary investigative authority could weaken investigations into sex crimes against children and youth, the Act on the Protection of Children and Youth Against Sex Offenses incorporated a system requiring all cases received by police to be referred to prosecutors. The Act on the Prevention of Human Trafficking and Protection of Victims includes provisions allowing prosecutors to verify facts or conduct interviews.
People Power Party lawmakers on the committee left the meeting in protest of the Democratic Party of Korea-led passage of the bills and did not participate in the vote.
Kang Sun-young, the People Power Party’s ranking member on the committee, said, "Our committee, which deals with the rights and interests of women and youth, should not pass follow-up bills without sufficiently examining gaps in victim protection resulting from the abolition of supplementary investigative authority."
She added, "It does not seem right for us to remain here while our committee handles ancillary bills arising from the amendment to the Criminal Procedure Act of the Republic of Korea," and then left the meeting.
Lee Su-jin, the Democratic Party of Korea’s ranking member on the committee, explained, "Today’s agenda is being handled with the agreement of both ruling and opposition parties," adding, "These bills are intended to address the issues criticized by the People Power Party when the Criminal Procedure Act of the Republic of Korea was amended."
She continued, "The People Power Party said that our standing committee’s role is extremely important in protecting the safety and human rights of socially vulnerable children, youth and women and preventing violence. I strongly agree," but asked committee chair Kim Jeong-jae to put the bills on the agenda, saying, "I hope our committee can calmly carry out the work it must do."
Kim Jeong-jae, a People Power Party member, proceeded with the vote even after lawmakers from her party had left. After the vote, she expressed regret, saying, "As chair, I regret that bills directly affecting people’s rights and criminal justice procedures continue to be handled in a rushed manner."
[email protected] Kim Hyeong-gu Reporter