A bill, introduced by the ruling Democratic Party, is enacted during a plenary session at the National Assembly in Seoul, South Korea, 31 July 2026, to revise the Criminal Procedure Act to strip the prosecution of its direct investigative powers. Lawmakers of the main opposition People Power Party left the session in protest, abstaining from a vote on the bill. Photo by YONHAP / EPA
Aug. 3 (Asia Today) -- A revision to South Korea's Criminal Procedure Act abolishing prosecutors' authority to conduct supplementary investigations has passed the National Assembly, shifting attention to whether the Constitutional Court will uphold the measure.
The Democratic Party-led bill is awaiting review and approval by the Cabinet after passing the National Assembly on Friday, legal experts said Monday.
President Lee Jae Myung could place the bill on the Cabinet's agenda as early as Tuesday.
Legal observers said the revised law could face either a jurisdictional dispute case or a constitutional complaint after it is promulgated.
