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National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik poses with ruling and opposition leaders at the Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on August 19. From left: Democratic Party deputy floor leader Moon Jin-seok, floor leader Kim Byung-ki, Speaker Woo, People Power Party interim leader and floor leader Song Eon-seok, and deputy floor leader Yoo Sang-beom. / Source: Yonhap News

The Democratic Party, which had pledged to deliver prosecutorial reform “before Chuseok,” is now signaling a delay until the end of the year, citing the need for careful legislation.

Speaking on MBC radio on August 20, deputy floor leader Moon Jin-seok clarified that the reform will be finalized “within the regular session of the National Assembly,” rather than ahead of the holiday. He stressed that President Lee Jae-myung and Prime Minister Kim Min-seok have emphasized thorough public debate and avoiding any perception of hasty legislation.

“This is not about slowing down, but about the government and ruling party taking responsibility to ensure reform measures are implemented without side effects,” Moon said. He added that President Lee’s instructions should be understood as a call for “careful and responsible lawmaking.”

When asked about Democratic Party Chairman Jung Chung-rae’s earlier statement promising completion before Chuseok, Moon downplayed it as a political message. “That timeline was meant to show the process is on track. What we intend to present by Chuseok is the framework of reform. Completing the legislation itself will take more time,” he explained.

Moon predicted that the prosecutorial reform bill would still pass during the regular session, which runs until the end of the year. “We are listening carefully to diverse voices and will continue to do so,” he said.