South Korea: New Special Counsel Legislation Targets Yoon's Martial Law Attempt
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Seoul, Jan 10 (NationPress) A new bill led by the opposition was approved by South Korea's parliamentary judiciary subcommittee on Friday, requiring a special counsel investigation into impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol's failed martial law attempt.
The bill was approved unilaterally by opposition parties during a subcommittee gathering of the National Assembly's legislation and judiciary committee, while lawmakers from the ruling People Power Party (PPP) boycotted the vote in opposition.
The revised legislation suggests that the chief justice of the Supreme Court will recommend a special counsel to investigate Yoon's insurrection allegations, likely aiming to gather more defection votes from the PPP.
Additionally, the main opposition party, the Democratic Party (DP), omitted a provision that would have permitted the opposition to request a new recommendation if the suggested candidate was considered unfit.
A previous version of the bill, which had included special counsel recommendations from the DP and the minor opposition Rebuilding Korea Party, was rejected on Wednesday by a narrow margin of two votes, as reported by Yonhap news agency.
Earlier that day, South Korea's Acting President Choi Sang-mok accepted the resignation of the chief of the Presidential Security Service (PSS), according to Choi's office, amid escalating tensions regarding the arrest of President Yoon Suk-yeol, who remained within his fortified residence.
Park Chong-jun, head of the PSS, resigned shortly before appearing for police questioning regarding allegations that he obstructed the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) from executing a court-issued warrant for Yoon's arrest last week.
The finance ministry confirmed, "Park has submitted his resignation, and it has been accepted."
Park, who is reportedly facing charges of obstructing official duties, complied with police requests for questioning after previously defying two.
Both the CIO and police are preparing for a second attempt to execute the arrest warrant against Yoon, who is under investigation for insurrection related to his unsuccessful martial law imposition in December.
Yoon has refused to comply with the summons or warrant execution from the CIO, asserting that the agency lacks the authority to investigate insurrection charges.
Meanwhile, the CIO and police are deliberating whether to detain PSS personnel if they hinder the upcoming arrest attempt.
