Opposition: "Yoon, Accept 'Kim Gun-hee Special Prosecutor' in Statement"... Countdown to All-Out Offensive Against Ruling Party

Park Chan-dae "Accept without excuses or justifications"
Cho Kuk "Take measures close to exile"

Opposition parties, including the Democratic Party of Korea, reiterated on the 7th that President Yoon Seok-yeol must accept the special investigation law concerning First Lady Kim Geon-hee through a national address. If President Yoon continues to reject the special investigation law, the opposition plans to launch an all-out offensive against the ruling party, including outdoor rallies.

Park Chan-dae, the floor leader of the Democratic Party, said in the morning about President Yoon's address, "To soothe the public sentiment that has turned cold like midwinter weather, he should express acceptance of the 'Kim Geon-hee special investigation'." He added, "Please do not offer any excuses or justifications. An explanation and apology without acceptance of the Kim Geon-hee special investigation is nothing but a malicious attempt to cover up a serious crime that undermines national order."

Earlier, the Democratic Party presented three major demands to President Yoon: 'acceptance of the special investigation law for the First Lady,' 'direct explanation and apology regarding the Myeong Tae-gyun gate,' and 'a statement on the cessation of war.' If President Yoon accepts the Democratic Party's demands on this day, it is expected that negotiations between the ruling and opposition parties will proceed through a plenary session on the 14th to accept the Kim Geon-hee special investigation law. However, the opposition does not have high expectations for the acceptance of the special investigation in President Yoon's address. The ruling party also maintains opposition, citing problematic poison clauses included in the Kim Geon-hee special investigation law proposed by the Democratic Party.

On the 7th, citizens are watching President Yoon Seok-yeol's national address in the waiting room of Seoul Station, Yongsan-gu, Seoul. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung

The opposition plans to expand its offensive against the ruling party, including outdoor struggles, if there are no achievements such as acceptance of the special investigation law in the president's address. The Democratic Party will hold the '2nd National Action Day Criticizing Kim Geon-hee and Yoon Seok-yeol's State Mismanagement and Urging Special Investigation' rally around Sungnyemun in Seoul on the 9th. This is to urge an explanation of the state mismanagement involving the presidential couple and to pressure acceptance of the special investigation. On the 16th, six opposition parties, including the Innovation Party, Reform New Party, Progressive Party, Basic Income Party, and Social Democratic Party, are planning a joint rally.

If the Kim Geon-hee special investigation law is passed under opposition leadership at the plenary session on the 14th and President Yoon exercises his veto, the opposition plans to push for a re-vote at the plenary session on the 28th of this month. To ensure the passage of the re-vote, the opposition plans to pressure ruling party members to vote in favor of the special investigation. The exposure of recorded files involving Myeong Tae-gyun will also continue. The Democratic Party is also considering the possibility of releasing additional recorded files after monitoring the level of President Yoon's address. The Innovation Party emphasized that if acceptance of the special investigation law for the First Lady is impossible, impeachment procedures should begin. Cho Guk, leader of the Innovation Party, stressed, "Measures close to exile should be taken against the First Lady."