First lady mired in political turmoil as special counsel probe looms
President Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife Kim Keon Hee ride a limousine during a visit to the Netherlands, Dec. 11. Yonhap
First Lady Kim Keon Hee finds herself at the epicenter of political turmoil in Korea, following the National Assembly's approval, Thursday, of a bill to launch a special counsel investigation into her alleged involvement in a stock manipulation scandal.
The presidential office immediately announced that President Yoon Suk Yeol will use his veto power "as soon as the bill arrives." However, the veto holds significant political weight, poised to become one of the most contentious issues leading up to the general elections in April. Rival parties are expected to engage in fierce exchanges over this controversial matter.
The bill authorizing the appointment of a special counsel to probe Kim's purported role in the stock manipulation of a licensed BMW dealership in Korea was approved during a plenary session at the Assembly, driven by the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea's (DPK) initiative.
Out of 298 enrolled lawmakers, 180 participated in the vote and all of them approved it.
The bill required the presence of half of all registered lawmakers and approval from half of those present. Despite a boycott by the ruling People Power Party (PPP), the DPK, which holds 167 out of 300 seats, met the requirement to ensure the bill to pass, and minor opposition parties supported it.
Lawmakers watch the voting outcome of a bill on a special counsel investigation into first lady Kim Keon Hee during a National Assembly plenary session in Yeouido, Seoul, Thursday. Yonhap
A special counsel probe refers to an investigation by an independent counsel ― called a special prosecutor — to handle politically sensitive cases involving high-profile figures. To appoint the counsel, the Assembly either uses the existing Act on the Appointment of Independent Prosecutor or legislates a special bill for a respective case.
There have been several special counsel probes targeting incumbent or former presidents and their political aides and there were cases of presidents’ family members facing investigations by prosecutors. However, this marks Korea’s first case of a special counsel investigation bill aimed at a sitting president’s spouse.
Proposed by the minor opposition Justice Party and endorsed by the DPK, the bill was put on the Assembly’s fast-track system in April, which allows any proposal to be tabled at a plenary session automatically after an eight-month deliberation period.
Senior presidential secretary for public relations Lee Do-woon speaks during a press briefing at the presidential office in Yongsan District, Seoul, Thursday. Yonhap
Just minutes after the Assembly passed the bill, senior presidential secretary for public relations Lee Do-woon held a press briefing and said, "President Yoon will immediately veto it as soon as it arrives."
"In past cases of independent counsel probes, rival parties argued over which side gets to appoint the special prosecutor," an official at the presidential office said. "Even when the opposition appointed a special counsel, an agreement was reached to make that happen. This is the first time that (the DPK) unilaterally passed the bill blatantly ahead of the general elections."
The Yoon administration and the PPP have criticized the bill for allowing only the DPK and the Justice Party to recommend candidates for special prosecutor.
PPP interim leader Han Dong-hoon also said on Wednesday that the bill “is a bad law aimed at the general elections” and “is intended to disclose the investigation process in real-time even on election day. It will only blind the people and infringe the public's right to choose.”
Exercising his veto power is, however, a tough choice for Yoon. He has already vetoed several bills passed by the DPK, and rejecting another one will aggravate public sentiment and harm his neutrality as president. Furthermore, it will allow the DPK to increase its offensive against the ruling bloc.
Since the PPP has been accusing the DPK of attempting to protect its chairman, Rep. Lee Jae-myung, from prosecution through political means, Yoon’s efforts to protect his wife could be perceived in a similar light.
"The presidential office said Yoon will immediately veto the bill," DPK spokesperson Rep. Lim O-kyeong said in a commentary.
"Is he vetoing a national investigation to shield his spouse? This contradicts Yoon's commitment to unbiased investigations when he assumed the presidency. The public will pass judgment if the president rejects the special counsel probe," Lim added.
Ruling People Power Party lawmakers leave the National Assembly's plenary session in Yeouido, Thursday, minutes before the Assembly votes on a special counsel bill to investigate six people accused of receiving at least 5 billion won in bribes each in relation to a land development scandal in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province. Yonhap
Public sentiment regarding the special counsel probe on Kim adds to the pressure.
According to a Gallup Korea poll, 70 percent of respondents said Yoon should not veto the special counsel bill on the first lady. The poll surveyed 1,033 respondents from Dec. 7 to 8 and was requested by the Kookmin Ilbo, a daily newspaper. Further details are available on the National Election Survey Deliberation Commission’s website.
During Thursday’s plenary session, a separate special counsel bill was passed to investigate six people accused of receiving at least 5 billion won in bribes in relation to a land development scandal in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, linked to the DPK chief. The PPP lawmakers also boycotted that vote.