Revised Special Counsel Bill Presented by South Korea's Opposition Parties to Investigate Yoon's Martial Law Attempt
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Seoul, Jan 9 (NationPress) In a significant development, South Korea's Opposition parties on Thursday unveiled a revised bill to initiate a special counsel investigation into impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol concerning his unsuccessful bid for martial law. This action comes just a day after a previous iteration of the bill faced rejection in the National Assembly.
The newly proposed version recommends that the chief justice of the Supreme Court appoint a special counsel to investigate Yoon's insurrection allegations.
The earlier bill, which included recommendations for special counsels from the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) and the smaller Rebuilding Korea Party, was discarded on Wednesday after it was voted down by only two votes.
This move by the Opposition appears to be a strategy to attract additional defector votes from the ruling People Power Party.
According to a DP official, “The two candidates for the special counsel will both be recommended by the chief justice of the Supreme Court.”
Furthermore, the DP has decided to eliminate a clause that would allow the Opposition to request a new recommendation if the proposed candidate is found unsuitable, as reported by Yonhap news agency.
Instead, the modified bill broadens the investigation's focus to include accusations that Yoon committed the “crime of treason” against his own nation.
During a policy meeting earlier, DP floor leader Park Chan-dae stated that Yoon had instigated a military attack from North Korea to justify the imposition of martial law on December 3.
The DP intends to present the new bill for voting next Tuesday or Thursday.
Previously, on January 8, the National Assembly of South Korea had rejected two special counsel bills aimed at impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol concerning his failed martial law attempt and allegations involving first lady Kim Keon Hee in a re-vote.
The special counsel bill focused on Yoon had called for the appointment of special prosecutors to investigate insurrection charges related to his brief martial law declaration.
This bill was turned down with a vote of 198-101, with one abstention, ultimately failing to achieve the two-thirds majority required to override the president's veto.
