The justice ministry decided on Monday to file a competence dispute against the National Assembly for its push to strip the prosecution of its powers to investigate.

In filing the challenge, which seeks a ruling by the Constitutional Court to define authoritative boundaries between conflicting government agencies, the justice ministry is disputing the constitutionality of the laws.

New justice minister Han Dong-hoon, a key aide to President Yoon Suk Yeol, had set up a task force to fight the enactment of the controversial laws, contending that they are unconstitutional and unduly infringe upon the prosecution.

The National Assembly, led by the main opposition Democratic Party, passed two bills in April and May aimed at limiting the scope of the prosecution's investigative powers over concerns of abuse of power.

The now-ruling People Power Party countered that the amendments will leave people with fewer means to seek justice for crimes.