(ATTN: CHANGES headline, lead, photo; UPDATES throughout with bill's passage)

SEOUL, July 31 (Yonhap) -- The National Assembly, led by the ruling Democratic Party (DP), passed a bill Friday aimed at abolishing the prosecution's direct investigative powers amid protest from the main opposition party.

The revision to the Criminal Procedure Act passed a plenary session in a 175-2 vote with one abstention, after the Assembly voted in favor of a motion to stop a filibuster launched by the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) the previous day.

Under the bill, the prosecution will be stripped of its authority to conduct direct investigations, including supplementary investigations. Prosecutors will instead be allowed to request judicial police officers to carry out supplementary investigations.

The revision comes as a follow-up to the prosecution reform legislation that calls for the dismantling of the prosecution and creating two new agencies, tasked with handling investigations and indictments, respectively.

During the plenary session, the Assembly also introduced a revision to the National Assembly Act aimed at shortening the review period for bills designated for fast track from a maximum of 330 days to 90 days.

The PPP immediately launched a filibuster against the measure. The filibuster is set to automatically end at midnight when the July extraordinary parliamentary session expires.

The bill is expected to be put to a vote at the first plenary session next month.

A filibuster can be stopped after 24 hours if at least three-fifths of all parliament members, or 180 lawmakers, vote to end it.

julesyi@yna.co.kr

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