Nat'l Assembly passes bill on new serious crime investigation agency

▲ The National Assembly in Seoul passes a bill on outlining the scope and operation of a new serious crime investigation agency during a plenary session on March 21, 2026. (Yonhap)

prosecution reform-bill

Nat'l Assembly passes bill on new serious crime investigation agency

SEOUL, March 21 (Yonhap) -- The National Assembly on Saturday passed a prosecution reform bill led by the ruling Democratic Party (DP), laying the legal groundwork for a new serious crime investigation agency to be launched in October.

The bill was approved in a 166-1 vote during a plenary session shortly after a 24-hour filibuster by the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) ended. PPP lawmakers boycotted the vote.

Under the bill, the new investigative body will be established under the Ministry of the Interior and Safety and will be responsible for probing major crimes, including corruption, economic offenses, defense industry-related crimes, drug offenses, insurrection and cyber crimes.

The latest move came a day after the DP railroaded another bill aimed at stripping the prosecution of investigative authority and laying the legal groundwork for a new indictment agency.

The two bills are set to take effect in October, when the current prosecution service structure will be abolished as part of the government's push to separate the powers of investigation and indictment.

Under the new framework, the indictment agency will handle only indictments, while investigative powers will be transferred to the newly established serious crimes investigation agency.

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