Kwak Yeon-soo is a digital editor at The Korea Times creating, editing and curating digital content for the newspaper’s website, mobile app and social media. She previously covered a diverse array of cultural, political and business topics.
National Assembly passes permanent special counsel probe bill into Yoon's treason charges
A bill mandating the appointment of a permanent special counsel to investigate treason charges against President Yoon Suk Yeol over his short-lived martial law imposition is passed during a plenary session at the National Assembly in Seoul, Tuesday. Yonhap
By Kwak Yeon-soo
Opposition railroads downsized budget for 2025
The National Assembly passed a bill Tuesday to mandate the appointment of a permanent special counsel to investigate treason charges against President Yoon Suk Yeol over his short-lived martial law imposition last week.
In a vote at the plenary session, 210 of the attending 287 lawmakers voted in favor of the bill, including 23 ruling People Power Party (PPP) members. Before the session, the PPP decided to leave the vote to each member’s discretion without setting a party line.
The bill aims to open an investigation by a permanent special counsel, which can be independent from the existing investigative authorities, to minimize potential interference by the president or the government.
Unlike a bill for a regular special counsel, the president cannot exercise his veto right against a permanent one, so the Assembly can immediately start the process to recommend a special counsel candidate.
However, it is possible for the president to delay appointing the counsel candidate recommended by the opposition bloc. According to the recent revision of the law, the ruling party is not allowed to recommend a candidate to investigate a president or their family.
The bill calls for an investigation into not only Yoon but also former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun who is believed to be the mastermind of the martial law fiasco, Army Chief of Staff Gen. Park An-su, who was named the martial law commander, and former Counterintelligence Commander Yeo In-hyung, who allegedly ordered the arrest of politicians.
Also included in the subjects of the investigation are Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, who took part in a Cabinet meeting in which Yoon disclosed his plan to declare martial law just before the announcement, and former PPP floor leader Rep. Choo Kyung-ho, who allegedly prevented its lawmakers from gathering at the Assembly to reverse the martial law in a vote.
Separately from the permanent special counsel, the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) also proposed another motion for a regular special counsel to investigate all aspects of the martial law fiasco.
While the permanent special counsel is allowed to investigate for 60 days with five prosecutors and 30 public officials, the regular one is allowed to have more time and personnel, according to how a special law for it stipulates.
The DPK plans to put the bill for a regular special counsel to a vote at a plenary session on Thursday, along with a contentious bill mandating a special counsel probe into allegations involving first lady Kim Keon Hee, including suspicions of involvement in a stock manipulation scheme and interference in election nominations through a power broker. It is the fourth version of the bill targeting the first lady.
The National Office of Investigation at the National Police Agency in Seoul / Yonhap
Police also said Tuesday they requested the prime minister, National Intelligence Service Director Cho Tae-yong and nine Cabinet members to face questioning over the martial law attempt.
They allegedly participated in two Cabinet meetings that Yoon convened just before issuing the martial law and just before lifting it, respectively. The nine Cabinet members include the former defense minister, former Interior Minister Lee Sang-min, Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul and Health Minister Cho Kyu-hong.
The National Office of Investigation at the National Police Agency said one of the 11 had been already questioned, without disclosing who it was.
“If they refuse to cooperate, we will take legal steps, including forcibly investigating them,” an official said.
Athough the police haven't imposed a travel ban on the prime minister yet, the situation may change depending on the circumstances and how the investigation unfolds. Disruptions to state affairs are inevitable as many in charge of them, including Han, face questioning.
Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, right, speaks with Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok as lawmakers pass a budget bill for 2025 during a plenary session at the National Assembly in Seoul, Tuesday. Yonhap
The DPK-led Assembly also passed a downsized budget bill for next year despite strong protests from the ruling party. The bill passed 183-94, with 1 abstention.
The new budget was set at 677.4 trillion won ($482 billion), 4.1 trillion won less than the government’s initial proposal.
It includes cuts to the special activity expenses of the presidential office, the National Security Office, the prosecution and the Board of Audit and Inspection. Such expenses are for activities that require secrecy. The new budget also cut the government’s reserve fund in half from 4.8 trillion won to 2.4 trillion won.
The passage of this bill underlines the deep divide between the rival parties. Yoon cited the opposition's unilateral push for the government budget as one reason behind his martial law declaration.
Before the session, Rep. Kim Sang-hoon, chief policymaker of the PPP, suggested that they recover 3.4 trillion won from DPK’s reduced budget, saying that the radical budget cut will paralyze basic functions of the government.
However, the DPK was steadfast in pushing ahead with the budget bill. “Swift passage of the bill will help resolve the current crisis and economic woes,” DPK leader Rep. Lee Jae-myung said during a party Supreme Council meeting earlier in the day.
DPK floor leader Rep. Park Chan-dae added that the government could seek to increase the budget if it needs extra money for people's livelihoods.