Members of "Cheoreomhoe," a liberal lawmakers' study group on prosecutorial reform, hold a press conference, in this Sept. 2, 2021, file photo. Left is Rep. Kim Eui-kyeom, who was assigned to the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee on Friday. Korea Times photo by Oh Dae-keun

By Nam Hyun-woo

Several lawmakers of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), who have been taking a hardline stance on prosecutorial reform, were assigned to the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee, heralding a head-on clash with the ruling People Power Party (PPP) over President Yoon Suk-yeol's key initiatives.

According to the Assembly, Sunday, five lawmakers from the DPK's "Cheoreomhoe" study group joined the Legislation and Judiciary Committee. They are Reps. Kim Nam-kuk, Kim Seung-won, Kim Eui-kyeom, Lee Tahney and Choe Kang-wook.

Cheoreomhoe is a lawmakers' group established in 2020 to study measures to reform the prosecution. Its members have designed the draft of the law revisions aimed at separating prosecutors' investigative powers from their authority to indict ― which became the subject of heated political debate before the revisions were promulgated into laws in May.

Following the assignment, Cheoreomhoe members account for half of the DPK's 10-lawmaker quota in the committee. Given that two other DPK lawmakers in the committee ― Reps. Park Beom-kye and Park Ju-min ― have displayed a similar stance regarding prosecutorial reform, they are expected to butt heads with the seven PPP committee members and one independent member over the prosecution reform issue.

From the PPP, six out of seven committee members are former prosecutors, lawyers and judges. The committee's chairman, PPP Rep. Kim Do-eup, is a former prosecutor.

Though laws aimed at stripping prosecutors of their investigative power, in regard to serious crimes, have gone into effect, the DPK wants to finish its prosecution reform drive by setting up a government investigative agency to be in charge of serious crimes. However, the PPP is still expressing its opposition to the revised laws and further conflict is anticipated.

"After the Yoon Suk-yeol administration was inaugurated, the public has a grave concern that the country may become a republic of prosecutors, and we will have our eyes on this issue," a Cheoreomhoe member told Yonhap News Agency.

The DPK has been claiming that prosecutors have been dominating the Yoon government's key positions. Yoon is a former prosecutor-general.