South Korea’s liberal-led legislature yesterday overwhelmingly passed bills to launch special investigations into former president Yoon Suk-yeol’s short-lived imposition of martial law in December last year and criminal allegations against his wife, targeting the ousted conservative a day after his liberal successor took office.
The South Korean National Assembly also passed a bill to initiate an independent investigation into the 2023 drowning death of a marine during a search-and-rescue operation for flood victims, an incident the Democratic Party, which holds a majority, accuses Yoon’s government of covering up.
The bills previously had been vetoed by Yoon during his term and by South Korea’s caretaker government after his impeachment on Dec. 14 last year.
Photo: Yonhap news agency via EPA-EFE
South Korean President Lee Jae-myung, a Democrat who won Tuesday’s snap election triggered by Yoon’s removal from office, is expected to sign the bills.
Many members of the conservative People Power Party refused to participate in the votes, which took place after one of the party’s lawmakers accused the liberals of a vendetta.
Democratic Party lawmaker Kim Yong-min said the conservatives were effectively defending Yoon’s imposition of martial law by repeatedly opposing investigations into it.
“That’s why they failed to win public support and were rejected by voters in the presidential election,” he said in a speech.
Lee, who drove the legislative efforts to impeach Yoon, pinned his presidential campaign on unity, promising not to target conservatives and calling for an end to political polarization.
Yet Lee has vowed a full investigation into Yoon’s martial law imposition and the allegations surrounding his wife, moves that could overshadow the new government and inflame tensions as Yoon faces a high-stakes rebellion trial carrying a possible death sentence.
The Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office indicted Yoon on charges accusing him of masterminding a rebellion and enacting martial law in an illegal bid to seize the legislature and election offices, and arrest political opponents.
Liberals have insisted that independent investigations into Yoon are essential, saying probes by prosecutors, police and an anti-corruption agency were inadequate and hampered by Yoon’s refusal to cooperate.
If Lee approves the independent investigations, special prosecutors could request the transfer of relevant cases to expand those investigations or direct public or military prosecutors to continue handling them under their supervision.
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