Special committee approved to address fabricated indictments and seek dropping of charges by the Yoon administration
Gongchimo: "We plan to operate separately from the party body"
Representatives Kim Gipyo, Boo Seungchan, Min Hyungbae and others lea
On the 25th, the Democratic Party of Korea newly launched the “Special Committee to Pursue a Parliamentary Investigation to Uncover the Truth Behind the Yoon Suk Yeol Administration’s Fabricated Indictments and to Seek the Dismissal of the Indictments.” According to the Democratic Party, this committee is an expanded body of the existing in-house “Special Committee to Respond to Fabricated Indictments by Political Prosecutors” and the voluntary lawmakers’ group “Lawmakers’ Group to Seek the Dismissal of the Indictment and to Push for a Parliamentary Probe into President Lee Jaemyung’s Case (Gongchimo).”
In relation to this, Gongchimo welcomed the establishment of the new in-house special committee but stated that “it is scheduled to operate as an organization separate from the party’s task force.”
Democratic Party leader Jung Cheongrae said at the Supreme Council meeting that day, “Many lawmakers asked that Gongchimo be made into an official party body, so at a closed Supreme Council meeting we created and approved a related special committee,” adding, “Because this special committee is so important, we have just specially appointed Floor Leader Han Byungdo as its chair.”
Jung said, “The party leadership has already been pushing for a parliamentary investigation into the Yoon Suk Yeol administration’s fabricated indictments, and we had already decided that, if more truth comes to light in the future, we would go as far as a special prosecutor,” adding, “I want to say that the party is steadily doing what it needs to do.”
(Seoul=Yonhap News Agency) Hwang Gwangmo reports: On the 12th, Democratic Party lawmakers who participated in the lawmakers' group to seek the dismissal of the indictment and to push for a parliamentary probe into President Lee Jaemyung's case are holding a launch press conference at the National Assembly press briefing room. 2026.2.12 hkmpooh@yna.co.kr (End)
Chief spokesperson Park Suhyeon told reporters after the meeting, “The existing Special Committee to Respond to Fabricated Indictments by Political Prosecutors will conclude its activities, and the newly established special committee will inherit its achievements and be expanded and reorganized,” explaining, “This special committee will also embrace the purpose of Gongchimo, the recently formed voluntary group of incumbent lawmakers, and will push forward with both a parliamentary investigation and a special prosecutor.”
Previously, the chair position of the Special Committee to Respond to Fabricated Indictments by Political Prosecutors became vacant when lawmaker Han Junho resigned from the Supreme Council to run for Gyeonggi governor, and Supreme Council member Lee Sungyoon was appointed as chair. However, some lawmakers objected to the appointment of Lee, who had faced criticism within the party over the issue of recommending candidates for the second round of comprehensive special prosecutors.
Gongchimo, however, announced that it would continue its activities separately from the party body. In a statement, the group said, “We will work closely with the newly launched party task force, pool our strength, and actively support efforts to conduct a thorough parliamentary investigation into the fabricated indictments by political prosecutors and to push for the dismissal of the indictments.”
A staff member from the office of lawmaker Lee Geontae, who serves as Gongchimo’s secretary, said, “Our first goal is to achieve a parliamentary investigation, and we are approaching this with a very long-term perspective in order to reach the dismissal of the indictments. We have not yet achieved our objective, so our position is that this is not a matter of being absorbed into a party body or being dissolved.”
Some lawmakers belonging to the group issued messages opposing Gongchimo’s stance. Lawmaker Kim Gipyo wrote on social media (SNS), “Some people have called it a factional group, and many supporters have sent text messages urging us to leave what they see as a factional group,” adding, “I thought that if the lawmakers’ group for the dismissal of the indictment were absorbed into the party’s task force, it would help dispel the misunderstandings that have surrounded the group so far.” Kim went on to say, “But I was very disappointed to see that the lawmakers’ group for the dismissal of the indictment has just announced that it will continue to exist,” adding, “If that happens, I cannot help but think that it really becomes a factional group.”
Lawmaker Min Hyungbae wrote, “If the party is going to create an official body and push this forward, is there any need to hold a separate group? I do not think so,” adding, “I am withdrawing. It would be better to disband.” He continued, “Since a statement has come out saying the group will continue, I am withdrawing.”
Lawmaker Boo Seungchan also announced that he is leaving Gongchimo, writing, “I hope the party will promptly push for a parliamentary investigation and, through the president’s dismissal of the indictment and a special prosecutor, severely punish the illegal acts of the political prosecutors.”
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