Democratic Party denies reports of special prosecutor bill granting power to withdraw indictments
Translated from Korean, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.
TLDR
- The main opposition Democratic Party denied media reports that a proposed special prosecutor bill would grant the prosecutor the power to withdraw indictments in ongoing cases.
- A party lawmaker stated that the focus of the special prosecutor is to investigate alleged fabrication of charges by the prosecution, not to nullify existing legal proceedings.
- While discussions on prosecutorial powers are ongoing, the party clarified that the authority to withdraw charges has not been included in the draft bill.
Recent media speculation regarding the Democratic Party's proposed special prosecutor bill has been firmly refuted by party officials, as reported by the Hankyoreh. Reports suggesting the bill would grant the special prosecutor the power to withdraw indictments in ongoing cases, including those involving prominent political figures, have been categorically denied.
We are not discussing the right to withdraw indictments.
According to lawmakers involved in drafting the bill, the primary objective is to uncover the truth behind allegations of politically motivated prosecutions. The focus remains squarely on investigating the alleged 'fabrication of charges' by the prosecution, rather than interfering with the judicial process of ongoing trials. This distinction is crucial for maintaining the integrity of both the investigation and the legal system.
The special prosecutor was intended to investigate fabricated charges, so we believe the power to withdraw indictments cannot be directly included.
From the perspective of the Democratic Party and its supporters in South Korea, this clarification is vital. It addresses concerns that the special prosecutor's mandate might be overstepped or misused. The party emphasizes that while the scope of the special prosecutor's powers is under discussion, the specific authority to withdraw indictments is not part of the current proposal. The Hankyoreh will continue to provide accurate reporting on the legislative process and the substantive details of the special prosecutor bill as they are finalized.
The word 'withdrawal of indictment' is not even mentioned.
DistantNews Editorial
Originally published by Hankyoreh in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.
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