Kim Nam-hee: 'Pus' and 'collusion' accusations harmful to democracy

Kim Nam-hee, a lawmaker with South Korea's Democratic Party, has become the target of intense criticism, including hateful messages and online attacks, for her nuanced stance on prosecutorial reform. Kim believes that while prosecutorial power needs to be curbed, completely abolishing prosecutors' supplementary investigation rights could leave vulnerable victims unprotected.

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To call a fellow politician 'pus' or suggest they are colluding with prosecutors simply because they have a different opinion is an act that hinders discussion and deliberation, and is detrimental to democracy.

Kim, a former lawyer and human rights activist, stated in an interview with Hankyoreh that labeling colleagues with differing opinions as 'pus' or accusing them of colluding with prosecutors is harmful to democratic discourse. She received over 100 messages a day after a specific YouTube channel broadcasted a list of lawmakers who co-sponsored a bill to partially retain supplementary investigation rights, framing them as obstacles to reform.

"The goal of prosecutorial reform is not to weaken the institution, but to prevent harm to citizens," Kim explained. She emphasized that discussions should not be rigidly bound by deadlines and that all potential side effects and concerns must be thoroughly examined. She believes that presenting only one viewpoint as absolute truth and demonizing those with different perspectives is irresponsible for a politician.

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The goal of prosecutorial reform is not to weaken the institution, but to prevent harm to citizens. If there are side effects or concerns that we are unaware of, we must examine them one by one. To speak as if there is only one correct answer is not a responsible attitude for a politician.

Kim's concerns are partly based on feedback from women's rights groups, who have expressed worries that a complete ban on supplementary investigation rights might not adequately protect socially vulnerable individuals. These groups highlighted issues of local corruption and collusion that can delay or bury investigations, citing specific cases where police involvement with perpetrators hindered justice. Kim advocates for a more detailed discussion on how to control police investigations and ensure prosecutors effectively handle indictments, rather than focusing solely on the abolition of supplementary investigation rights as the sole measure of reform.

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Victims of gender-based violence groups have many concerns that reform might not proceed in a direction that protects socially vulnerable people, and I agreed with them.