Seoul: The leader of the ruling Democratic Party (DP) announced plans to progress with judicial reform bills and seek special counsel investigations related to former President Yoon Suk Yeol and the Unification Church. The DP is advocating for legislation that would penalize judicial figures who misuse their authority, allow the Constitutional Court to review Supreme Court decisions, and increase the number of Supreme Court justices to enhance efficiency.
According to Yonhap News Agency, DP leader Jung Chung-rae, in his first official briefing since assuming office in August, emphasized the party's commitment to advancing the judicial reform bills. He stated that the party intends to proceed "swiftly" and "without wavering," despite strong opposition from the main opposition People Power Party (PPP), which argues that the reforms threaten judicial independence.
Jung also announced plans for a second round of special counsel investigations, merging three probes: former President Yoon's alleged martial law attempt, accusations against former first lady Kim Keon Hee, and the death of a young Marine. The aim is to conclusively address these allegations, with the proposed special counsel being the first bill the DP plans to introduce next year.
Additionally, the DP intends to propose a separate investigation into claims that the Unification Church provided illicit political contributions to politicians. Jung highlighted constitutional prohibitions against the mixing of religion and politics, pointing to suspicions of the church donating to lawmakers from the PPP.