Passed Amid Ruling Party's Boycott... Opposition Renews Offensive
Myeong Taegyun to Testify at Current Affairs Hearing on the 26th
The permanent special prosecutor bill to investigate various allegations surrounding First Lady Kim Keon-hee, wife of President Yoon Suk-yeol, passed the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee on the 19th. Given that the bill is led by the opposition with a majority of seats, it is highly likely to be approved in the plenary session vote on the 20th.
On the same day, the Legislation and Judiciary Committee consecutively held the first subcommittee and the full committee meetings to handle the "Special Prosecutor Investigation Request for the Kim Keon-hee Stock Manipulation Case, etc." (Kim Keon-hee Permanent Special Prosecutor) and the "Special Prosecutor Investigation Request for the Incheon Customs Drug Investigation Pressure Allegation Case, etc." (Drug Permanent Special Prosecutor).
People Power Party lawmakers protested the handling of the permanent special prosecutor investigation requests and did not participate in the vote.
Before leaving the full committee meeting, People Power Party lawmaker Song Seok-jun said, "A special prosecutor is appointed when normal investigations by the prosecution are not properly conducted or are unfairly conducted, and politics intervenes. But looking at the contents of the special prosecutor bill, the investigation targets and prosecutors are determined based on the opposition party's unilateral claims," adding, "This should be restrained."
On the other hand, Democratic Party lawmaker Seo Young-kyo said, "A special prosecutor is related to the living power," and argued, "(President Yoon Suk-yeol and First Lady Kim Keon-hee) illegally declared martial law to avoid investigation, so a special prosecutor must be appointed decisively."
On the 19th, at the Legislation and Judiciary Committee plenary meeting held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, the 'Kim Geon-hee Madam Permanent Special Prosecutor Bill' was passed under the leadership of the opposition party amid the walkout of ruling party members opposing it. Photo by Yonhap News
The Kim Keon-hee permanent special prosecutor will investigate allegations including ▲ stock manipulation involving Deutsche Motors and Sambutogeon ▲ bribery-related sponsorships connected to Covana Contents ▲ receipt of luxury handbags ▲ interference in the route change of the Yangpyeong Expressway.
The permanent special prosecutor for drug investigation pressure allegations aims to clarify suspicions that the Presidential Office exerted undue pressure on the investigation when Malaysian drug syndicate members smuggled methamphetamine through Incheon Airport in January 2023, involving customs officials.
Previously, the National Assembly, led by the opposition, processed four general special prosecutor bills against First Lady Kim. However, each time, President Yoon exercised his veto (reconsideration request), leading to the bills being discarded after re-votes in the National Assembly. The last special prosecutor bill processed in December last year was vetoed by then Acting President Han Duck-soo, and the opposition cited this as grounds for impeachment against Acting President Han.
The opposition plans to handle the two permanent special prosecutor bills in the plenary session of the National Assembly on the 20th.
Additionally, the Legislation and Judiciary Committee on the same day selected political broker Mr. Myung as a witness for the emergency current affairs questioning scheduled for the 26th, related to the "Myeong Tae-gyun Gate."
Regarding this, Yoo Sang-beom, the People Power Party's Legislation and Judiciary Committee whip, protested, saying, "Mr. Myung is a party involved in an ongoing investigation. It has become routine for the National Assembly to interfere with ongoing investigations by dictating how they should be conducted," adding, "I cannot agree with calling a party involved in an important case for current affairs questioning."
On the other hand, Legislation and Judiciary Committee Chairman Jung Cheong-rae countered, "It is necessary to investigate the allegations related to Mr. Myung from the public's right to know," and said, "Since there are public disputes through the media outside the National Assembly, resolving such situations is also the role of the National Assembly."
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