Jung Cheong-rae Criticizes Government's Handling of Prosecution Reform

Following the government's announcement to abolish the prosecution's supplementary investigation rights and defer the legislative process to the National Assembly, former Democratic Party leader Jung Cheong-rae has voiced strong criticism and demanded immediate action.

Jung stated that while he welcomes the government's decision, he believes it effectively "passed the buck" to the legislature. He questioned whether the government's move was a tactic to delay the process, urging them to "answer about 'Let's do it right away.'" Jung's stance is clear: "My answer is 'Let's finish it right now, before July 17th.'"

Earlier, Jung had welcomed Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum's briefing, stating that if the prosecution's supplementary investigation rights were to be "irreversibly abolished" by the National Assembly, the government should prepare a "perfect abolition" in its enforcement decree. He even proposed a deadline for the legislative passage of the bill before the July 17th anniversary of the constitution's promulgation.

Jung, who has positioned "irreversible and complete abolition" of supplementary investigation rights as a key slogan for his bid to retain party leadership, appears eager to make this issue a central point of his campaign. However, the article suggests that the current need is not for "irreversible and swift" legislation, but rather for "meticulous" legislation that prevents public harm and unintended consequences. The piece warns that if incomplete legislation leads to greater public suffering, the entire prosecutorial reform movement could face backlash.