Special counsel probe bill on Marine's death rejected in re-vote

National Assembly Speaker Kim Jin-pyo bangs the gavel during a National Assembly plenary session on the re-vote of a bill to launch a special counsel probe into a Marine's death, Seoul, Tuesday. Yonhap

The National Assembly rejected and scrapped a bill to launch a special counsel probe into allegations that the Yoon Suk Yeol administration influenced the military’s investigation into the death of a Marine, during a parliamentary re-vote, Tuesday.

The main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), which tabled the bill, pledged to reintroduce the same bill in the upcoming 22nd Assembly that will start on Thursday.

During the final plenary session of the current 21st Assembly, 179 out of 294 attending lawmakers approved the bill, failing to meet the two-thirds, or 196 votes, required for passage. A total of 111 lawmakers opposed the bill, with four casting invalid ballots.

To pass a bill once vetoed by the president, a majority of Assembly members must be present and at least two-thirds of those present need to vote in favor.

A Marine veteran protests after a bill to launch a special counsel probe into a Marine's death was rejected in a re-vote during a plenary session of the National Assembly in Seoul, Tuesday. Yonhap

The bill sought to launch an independent counsel investigation into the government’s alleged interference in the military's probe into the death of Marine Cpl. Chae Su-geun during a flood rescue operation in July 2023. The DPK and other minor opposition parties suspect that the allegations may involve high-ranking government officials, potentially the president himself.

The bill was originally approved by the Assembly on May 2 but was sent back to the Assembly after Yoon exercised his presidential veto power on May 21. He characterized it as a political tactic by the opposition bloc aimed at undermining his administration through unnecessary investigations into the case. It is worth noting that the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials has already been conducting an inquiry into the matter.

Since 295 members are registered to the current Assembly, the re-passage required at least 17 votes from ruling People Power Party (PPP) members. Before the vote, five PPP lawmakers openly endorsed the bill, including Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo.

As a result, the PPP leadership intensified its efforts to prevent what it termed "betrayal," urging its members to maintain unity until the final moment. Contrary to the ruling party's initial fears, the outcome revealed no significant defections among PPP members.

A National Assembly official hands over the result of a re-vote on a special counsel probe into a Marine's death to Assembly Speaker Kim Jin-pyo during a plenary session at the Assembly in Seoul, Tuesday. Yonhap

Despite the bill being rejected in the re-vote and consequently scrapped, the DPK has already outlined plans to reintroduce and pass the same bill swiftly in the upcoming 22nd National Assembly. Leveraging its majority of 171 out of 300 Assembly seats, the party aims to push forward with its legislative agenda. The next Assembly will begin on Thursday.

In this case, the president retains the option to once again return the bill to the Assembly using his veto power. This would prompt another round of deliberations and a potential re-vote by the Assembly. In the event of a re-vote, approval from two-thirds of attending lawmakers would still be necessary. However, it could be comparatively easier for the opposition bloc to override Yoon's veto, as the PPP will have only 108 seats in the next Assembly. Consequently, the party would be unable to obstruct the bill if just eight of its lawmakers dissent.

Among PPP lawmaker-elects who will join the 22nd Assembly, Rep. Ahn and two others have already announced their intention to endorse the special counsel bill, meaning approval by only five more PPP members will effectively annul the presidential veto.

“The ongoing back-and-forth between the Assembly and the presidential office regarding the special counsel probe is unlikely to bolster public sentiment toward the ruling bloc,” a ruling bloc official said.

Main opposition Democratic Party of Korea Chairman Lee Jae-myung, left, speaks with the party's floor leader Rep. Park Chan-dae during a plenary session on re-voting a special counsel probe bill into a Marine's death at the Assembly, Seoul, Tuesday. Yonhap

Political analysts also suggest that if Yoon appears to be avoiding the investigation, it could exacerbate negative sentiment towards the administration. Additionally, it may strengthen the resolve of some opposition lawmakers who are entertaining the idea of impeaching the president.

“What we can learn from the Watergate scandal is that the president’s lies, obstructions of investigation and attempts to conceal the truth by exploiting his power constitute a fair reason to impeach the president,” DPK Rep. Jung Chung-rae said, referring to the U.S. political scandal in the early 1970s, which resulted in then-President Richard Nixon’s resignation.

“Even a U.S. president can be removed from office in case he or she lies, obstructs investigations and conceals the truth. A South Korean president was also ousted for violating the law. So, what would happen if President Yoon does the same thing as President Nixon did?”