Democratic Party passes revised special prosecutor bill on first lady probe

South Korea’s Democratic Party convened a National Assembly session on Thursday and unilaterally passed a revised bill seeking a special prosecutor investigation into allegations involving First Lady Kim Keon Hee. The bill marked the third time across the 21st and 22nd assemblies that a special investigation proposal on Kim had passed the floor, and it faced staunch opposition from the ruling People Power Party (PPP), which abstained from the vote. The Democratic Party also issued a pointed rebuke to People Power Party leader Han Dong-hoon, accusing him of "submitting to President Yoon Suk Yeol" in a bid to induce a defecting vote from the ruling party. As President Yoon could still exercise his veto power, the Democratic Party has vowed to pursue a re-vote during a subsequent session if he does.

In a session attended by the Democratic Party and minor opposition allies, the amended bill was approved with all 191 present lawmakers voting in favor. The Democratic Party's revised version narrows the scope of the special investigation from 14 areas to three: alleged stock manipulation at Deutsche Motors, the so-called “Kim Keon Hee-Myung Tae-gyun Gate” involving allegations of illegal polling, election interference, and selection of Changwon National Industrial Complex site, and any related offenses uncovered during the investigation.

The bill also introduces a "third-party nomination" mechanism for selecting the special prosecutor. The Supreme Court Chief Justice will recommend four candidates, with the Democratic Party and a minor opposition party, the National Innovation Party, each selecting one nominee for the president’s final appointment. Additionally, the bill allows opposition parties to request a re-nomination through the assembly speaker if they deem the chief justice's candidate unfit—a provision known as a "veto clause." While the Democratic Party had been open to removing the veto clause if a compromise with the PPP had been reached as the ruling party considers it as a poison pill clause, they ultimately retained the provision as the PPP stood firm in its opposition to the bill.

In response, the People Power Party protested at the assembly's Rotunda Hall, decrying the revised bill as a "sham." The PPP further announced its intention to pursue an alternative measure, proposing to establish a special inspector to oversee misconduct investigations related to the president's family. This proposal aligns with the PPP leader Han's proposal with President Yoon.


윤다빈 empty@donga.com