S. Korea's opposition submits bill of special counsel investigation into President Yoon-Xinhua

S. Korea's opposition submits bill of special counsel investigation into President Yoon

Source: Xinhua

Editor: huaxia

2025-01-09 13:21:45

SEOUL, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- South Korea's opposition parties submitted a bill again Thursday to appoint a special counsel and investigate the impeached President Yoon Suk-yeol's insurrection charge.

Six opposition parties, including the main liberal Democratic Party, proposed the bill to the National Assembly after the first bill was scrapped in a revote in the previous day as most of the 108 ruling conservative People Power Party voted against it.

To pass the bill in the revote, at least two-thirds of 300 National Assembly lawmakers need to vote in favor.

Under the second bill, two candidates for independent council will be recommended by the chief justice of the Supreme Court, while the number of dispatched prosecutors and investigators and the investigation period will be cut to 155 and 150 days compared to the first bill.

The impeachment motion against Yoon was passed in the National Assembly on Dec. 14 last year and was delivered to the constitutional court to deliberate it for up to 180 days, during which Yoon's presidential power is suspended.

Yoon, who was named by investigative agencies as a suspected ringleader on an insurrection charge, declared martial law on the night of Dec. 3, but it was revoked by the National Assembly hours later.