DP Aims to Push Bill Targeting First Lady for Vote in Upcoming Plenary Session

Seoul: The Democratic Party (DP), South Korea's main opposition party, is gearing up to propose a bill calling for a special counsel investigation into allegations against First Lady Kim Keon Hee. This initiative is set to be brought to a parliamentary plenary session next month, despite two previous attempts being thwarted by presidential vetoes. According to Yonhap News Agency, a DP official indicated that the new bill is expected to undergo review by the legislation and judiciary committee at the start of the next month, with a vote slated for November 14. The bill seeks to expand the scope of the investigation to include recent allegations that the first lady enlisted the help of Myung Tae-kyun, a self-proclaimed political broker, to influence public opinion surveys in favor of her husband during the 2022 presidential election. Additionally, the proposed investigation would probe claims that Kim interfered in candidate nominations for the general elections last April, as well as the local and by-electio ns in 2022. The bill also seeks to investigate suspicions surrounding the first lady and her aides regarding the leaking of state secrets from the presidential office and the assignment of state affairs to civilians without formal positions. Similar to previous iterations, the new proposal calls for an inquiry into allegations of the first lady's involvement in a stock manipulation scheme and her acceptance of a luxury bag. Despite earlier setbacks, the DP remains committed to pursuing these investigations through legislative means.