Korean National Assembly passes special counsel bill to probe Yoon’s alleged election interference
The opposition-controlled National Assembly passed a special counsel bill Thursday to investigate allegations against impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol's influence-peddling scandal linked to the parliamentary by-elections in 2022, Yonhap reports.
The allegations center on Myung Tae-kyun, a self-proclaimed power broker, who allegedly took approximately 76 million won (US$54,400) from former ruling party lawmaker Rep. Kim Young-sun in exchange for his help in getting her nominated for the parliamentary by-elections.
The bill passed the plenary session in a 182-91 vote with one abstention.
Before the session, lawmakers of the ruling the People Power Party decided to reject the bill as its party stance and participated in the vote.
Myung allegedly won Kim Young-sun's nomination in exchange for conducting public opinion polls favorable to Yoon ahead of the 2022 presidential election.
The special counsel will investigate allegations Yoon and first lady Kim Keon Hee were involved in the nomination process of the 2022 local elections and by-elections, as well as parliamentary elections last year.
Opposition parties also suspect that the Changwon District Prosecutors Office, currently investigating Myung, is deliberately delaying its probe into Yoon. The counsel will look for possible interference by authorities at the Supreme Prosecutors Office and the presidential office of the senior secretary for civil affairs.
Earlier, it was reported that Yoon Suk Yeol apologized to South Korea over the martial law bid at the final impeachment hearing.
