The Cabinet has passed a draft bill that will revise the Criminal Code. Under the revised code the government will be able to seize the illegal gains of defendants in criminal trials and third parties involved.
Currently, goods and assets can only be confiscated in cases where defendants are found guilty of serious crimes.
The adjustment to the code comes after several defendants cleared of charges in recent food safety scandals were allowed to keep their illegal gains. The draft bills add a chapter specifically detailing the punishment of “confiscation”.
Cabinet spokesman Sun Lih-chyun said the change is an important step in improving the integrity and fairness of the legal system.
"The Premier has indicated that there have been major corruption and food contamination cases that caused a lot of public attention and controversy. The current Criminal Code is not able to effectively confiscate the illegal gains of criminals or third parties," Sun said. "The adjustment we have made marks a big step forward for our country’s legal system, as it ensures the independent effectiveness of confiscation as a form of punishment. It also ensures the integrity and fairness of our Criminal Code."
The new confiscation law will cover the seizure of the illegal gains of the criminals as well as the direct and indirect gains of third parties involved when necessary