In a significant political development, South Korea’s opposition parties have once again submitted a bill to appoint a special counsel to investigate impeached President Yoon Suk-yeol on charges of insurrection. The move comes after a previous bill was scrapped following a revote where members of the ruling conservative People Power Party voted against it.
On Thursday, six opposition parties, including the main liberal Democratic Party, proposed the new bill to the National Assembly. The initial bill was nullified when the majority of the 108 People Power Party members opposed it in a revote the previous day.
For the bill to pass in the upcoming vote, it requires the support of at least two-thirds of the 300 National Assembly lawmakers. The opposition is rallying to secure the necessary votes to advance the investigation.
Under the revised bill, two candidates for independent counsel will be recommended by the chief justice of the Supreme Court. The proposal also reduces the number of dispatched prosecutors and investigators, and shortens the investigation period to 150 days compared to the original bill.
The impeachment motion against President Yoon was passed in the National Assembly on December 14 last year and forwarded to the Constitutional Court for deliberation of up to 180 days. During this period, Yoon’s presidential powers are suspended.
Yoon Suk-yeol was named by investigative agencies as a suspected ringleader on an insurrection charge after he declared martial law on the night of December 3, a decision that was revoked by the National Assembly hours later.
The political turmoil has intensified debates across the nation, with many watching closely to see how the situation unfolds and what it means for South Korea’s political future.
Reference(s):
Bill of special counsel investigation into Yoon Suk-yeol submitted
cgtn.com
