Jung Chung-rae: "Let's Redesign Criminal Investigation from Scratch"... Seo Beom-soo: "Kim Ou-joon's Remarks Are Secondary Victimization"

People Power Party Floor Leader Jung Chung-rae speaking at the Supreme Council meeting (Seoul=Yonhap News) Reporter Shin Hyun-woo = People Power Party Floor Leader Jung Chung-rae (left) is speaking while attending the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on the 13th. 2026.7.13 nowwego@yna.co.kr

On the 13th, the People Power Party launched a full-scale offensive against the ruling party, declaring "absolutely no" as the ruling bloc pushed to fast-track amendments to the Criminal Procedure Act, which focuses on abolishing the prosecution's supplementary investigative powers, despite the ongoing controversy surrounding the Jang Yoon-ki murder case.

During the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly that day, Floor Leader Jung Chung-rae stated, "Supplementary investigative powers are the minimum safety pin for victims," adding, "They must be preserved."

Floor Leader Jung emphasized, "If the prosecution's dismantling and the abolition of supplementary investigative powers currently pushed by the Democratic Party had taken place in 1987, the official cause of death for Park Jong-chul would have been recorded as an unexplained heart attack, and the briefing that he 'hit the table and died of shock' would have become the truth. Whether it is the prosecution or the police, if they are not sufficiently checked, the damage ultimately falls on the public."

He continued, "I propose to the government and the ruling party that we redesign the criminal investigation system from scratch, standing on the side of the victims," and asked, "Isn't preventing unjust victims more important than winning the Democratic Party's national convention right now?"

Five-term lawmaker Kim Gi-hyeon wrote on social media that day, "The Democratic Party's insistence on abolishing supplementary investigative powers has nothing to do with public harm, but is solely to provide absolution for 'father' President Lee Jae-myung," warning, "If they force this through, it will be the beginning of the regime's early downfall."

Five-term lawmaker Yoon Sang-hyun also cited the position of National Integration Committee Chairman Lee Seok-yeon, who stated that the total abolition of supplementary investigative powers is unconstitutional, and urged, "I demand the Democratic Party withdraw its plan to process this before the August 17 national convention," adding, "They must immediately stop this legislative rampage that undermines the fundamental principles of the Constitution."

Two-term lawmaker Seo Beom-soo, a former police officer, also wrote on Facebook, "The Democratic Party must immediately stop inciting the abolition of supplementary investigative powers," and added, "I strongly warn that the public, as the sovereign, will strictly hold accountable those who threaten public safety while ignoring reality."

Regarding pro-ruling party YouTuber Kim Ou-joon, who argued for the abolition of supplementary investigative powers by saying, "Cases of this nature happen several times a year" in reference to the Jang Yoon-ki case, Representative Seo retorted, "This is the worst kind of absurd remark, lacking even the most basic human empathy, and constitutes secondary victimization. Would you dare say that if your own daughter had suffered such a tragedy?"

Independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon linked an interview on his social media where Democratic Party Floor Policy Senior Vice Chair Kim Han-kyu said, "Just because supplementary investigative powers are maintained does not mean cases like Jang Yoon-ki will disappear," and wrote, "A world where more Jang Yoon-ki-like cases occur and culprits are never caught. That is the world the Democratic Party is creating." [Yonhap News]