Seoul: The National Assembly has passed a revised bill proposed by the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) to launch a special counsel investigation into impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol over allegations related to his failed martial law bid. The bill was approved with a 188-86 vote during a parliamentary plenary session, reflecting the opposition’s dominance in the 300-member parliament, where they currently hold 192 seats.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the opposition-proposed bill specifically excludes allegations that President Yoon committed “treason” by attempting to provoke war with North Korea, which were part of the original proposal put forth by the DP and five other parties. The ruling People Power Party (PPP) opposed the bill, arguing that its scope was excessive, and has announced plans to introduce its own version of the bill without the treason allegations.
This legislative development follows unsuccessful negotiations between DP floor leader Park Chan-dae and his PPP counterpart, Kweon
Seong-dong, which were mediated by National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik. Park stated that the DP unilaterally decided to table the revised bill, asserting that the party had made “major compromises” regarding the scope of the special counsel investigation.
In response to the bill’s passage, PPP floor leader Kweon Seong-dong urged acting President Choi Sang-mok to immediately request the parliament to reconsider the bill.