Hong Joon-pyo Slams Prosecutors' Supplementary Investigation Power Abolition: 'It's Revenge and Will Usher in a Criminals' Paradise'

Former Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo criticized the government and ruling party's move to strip prosecutors of their supplementary investigative powers, calling it 'revenge, not reform' and warning it would lead to an era of police omnipotence and a paradise for criminals. Through his Facebook account, Hong argued that attempts to downgrade the Prosecutor's Office to a purely indictment-issuing body and then strip it of supplementary investigative powers are not reform, and that a government serving a five-year term has no authority to dismantle the nation's investigative structure.

Amid divided opinions within the government and ruling party regarding the complete abolition of prosecutors' supplementary investigative powers, he warned that continued legislative unilateralism would usher in an era of police omnipotence and a paradise for criminals. His remarks contrast with those of Jeong Cheong-rae, leader of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea, who posted a phrase about 'complete abolition of supplementary investigative powers'.

Meanwhile, Justice Minister Jeong Sung-ho emphasized the need for cautious discussion, urging the preparation of victim protection measures and alternatives for cases where prosecutors are excluded from initial investigations. President Lee Jae-myung, in his first-anniversary press conference, suggested handing over the supplementary investigative powers issue to the National Assembly for discussion and not insisting on the government's stance.