Subcommittee passes special counsel bill on alleged fabricated indictments involving Lee
Summary
A National Assembly subcommittee approved a bill on Wednesday for an independent investigation into allegations that prosecutors under the previous Yoon Suk Yeol administration fabricated evidence to indict Lee Jae Myung. The proposed probe covers multiple cases involving Lee, including alleged illegal remittances to North Korea and a development corruption scandal. The People Power Party walked out, arguing the bill was intended to cancel Lee’s indictments. The bill is expected to go to a plenary vote on Thursday, and the party has warned it will launch a filibuster.
Key Facts
- The subcommittee was part of the National Assembly’s legislation and judiciary committee and was led by the ruling Democratic Party of Korea.
- DPK Rep. Kim Eui-kyeom said all clauses related to canceling indictments had been deleted from the bill.
- The bill originally included provisions that could have allowed the special counsel to cancel indictments.
- The People Power Party lawmakers left the meeting in protest over the bill.
- The People Power Party said it would use a filibuster to try to block the bill.
Lawmakers of the main opposition People Power Party, left, protest against the ruling party's push to pass a special counsel bill to investigate allegations of fabricated indictments, including those involving President Lee Jae Myung, during a meeting of the National Assembly's legislation and judiciary committe, Wednesday. Yonhap
A parliamentary subcommittee on Wednesday approved a bill calling for a special counsel to investigate allegations of fabricated indictments under the previous administration, including those involving President Lee Jae Myung.
The subcommittee of the National Assembly's legislation and judiciary committee, led by the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), passed the bill seeking an independent probe into allegations that prosecutors under the previous Yoon Suk Yeol administration had fabricated evidence to indict then opposition leader Lee.
The proposed investigation covers multiple cases involving Lee, including alleged illegal remittances to North Korea and a development corruption scandal.
Lawmakers from the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) walked out of the subcommittee meeting in protest, arguing that the bill was intended to cancel criminal indictments against Lee.
"All clauses related to the cancellation of the indictments have been deleted," DPK Rep. Kim Eui-kyeom told reporters.
The bill originally included provisions that would effectively allow the special counsel to cancel the indictments, fueling accusations from the PPP that Lee was trying to have his own indictments cancelled.
With Wednesday's passage, the bill is now expected to be put up for a vote in a National Assembly plenary session on Thursday.
The PPP has warned that it will launch a filibuster to block the bill.
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