The ruling Democratic Party (DP) has submitted a bill to the National Assembly that would allow prosecutors to be removed, as other civil servants are.

DP lawmakers submitted the amendment to the Prosecutors' Office Act to the National Assembly Secretariat on Friday morning, along with another bill to repeal the Act on Discipline of Prosecutors, which caps disciplinary measures for prosecutors at dismissal.

Both dismissal and removal terminate employment, but removal is more severe, usually involving the loss of benefits and an extended ban on future public service. Dismissal is less severe and allows reappointment sooner.

DP floor spokesperson Kim Hyun-jung told reporters that the amendment would remove the provision stating that prosecutors can only be removed through impeachment and instead apply the National Civil Service Act so that prosecutors could also face all five types of disciplinary action, including removal, like other civil servants.

The repeal of the Act on Discipline of Prosecutors would also subject prosecutors to the same regulations as other civil servants.

DP floor leader Kim Byung-kee proposed both bills.