Democratic Party Forces Special Counsel Bill on Fabricated Indictments
The Chosun Ilbo · Choi Yeon-jin, Shin Jee-in ·
Democratic Party Forces Special Counsel Bill on Fabricated Indictments Special counsel to investigate 17 cases, including corruption allegations against President Lee Jae Myung, amid opposition condemnation
The Democratic Party of Korea forced the passage of a ‘special counsel bill to investigate alleged fabricated indictments’ in the National Assembly plenary session on the 6th, which aims to investigate whether the case against President Lee Jae Myung was fabricated. The People Power Party criticized it as a “special counsel to cancel indictments for the president’s crimes” and stated, “Today will be recorded as the day South Korean rule of law died.”
The Democratic Party put the bill, officially titled ‘Act on the Appointment of a Special Prosecutor to Investigate Alleged Fabricated Investigations and Indictments by the Yoon Suk-yeol Administration’s Prosecutors’ Office, National Intelligence Service, Board of Audit and Inspection, etc.,’ to a vote during the plenary session. It passed with 167 votes in favor and 1 vote against out of 168 attending lawmakers. The People Power Party had opposed the bill’s processing the previous day by launching a filibuster, unlimited debate, and boycotted the vote on the day. Lee Joo-young, a Reform Party lawmaker, was the only one to cast a dissenting vote. This is the seventh special counsel case since the launch of the Lee Jae Myung government.
Once President Lee Jae Myung finalizes the appointment of one special counsel from candidates recommended by both ruling and opposition parties, the special counsel is expected to begin investigating whether 17 cases were fabricated. These include eight cases related to President Lee, such as corruption in the development of Daejang-dong, Wirye New City, and Baekhyeon-dong, violations of the Public Official Election Act, Ssangbangwool’s remittance to North Korea, bribery related to sponsorship of Seongnam FC, and allegations of misuse of corporate cards during his tenure as Gyeonggi Governor. The remaining nine cases are linked to the Moon Jae-in administration. If the special counsel law is promulgated on November 10, the process of recommending and appointing the special counsel will begin. The investigation team can include up to 309 personnel, such as dispatched prosecutors, investigators, and special investigators, with a maximum investigation period of 200 days.
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