National Assembly passes special counsel probe extension
Despite a filibuster by the opposition, the Democratic Party passed a bill to raise the number of extensions available to second comprehensive special counsels from one 30-day period to two 30-day periods.
Lawmakers vote during a plenary session at the National Assembly to pass a bill extending the investigation period for the second comprehensive special counsel in Yeouido, western Seoul, on July 21.NEWS1
The ruling party on Tuesday overcame the opposition’s filibuster to expand and extend the special counsel team’s investigation period — probing allegations of insurrection and corruption surrounding former President Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife, Kim Keon Hee — through late August.
The ruling Democratic Party passed an amendment to the Act on the Appointment of Independent Prosecutor, with all 173 lawmakers present voting in favor.
The main opposition People Power Party launched a filibuster on Monday to block the bill. The Democratic Party, however, ended the debate after 24 hours, when 183 lawmakers passed a motion to end the filibuster. Under National Assembly rules, a filibuster can be terminated with the approval of at least three-fifths of all lawmakers.
The amendment raises the number of presidentially approved extensions available to second comprehensive special counsels from one 30-day period to two 30-day periods.
With the bill’s passage, the investigation period may be extended from Friday to Aug. 23 if President Lee Jae Myung approves.
That team, which launched in February, was created to finish the work of three earlier special counsel investigations into Yoon’s martial law declaration on Dec. 3, 2024; corruption charges against his wife; and other allegations.
People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyeok, center, and other lawmakers shout slogans condemning the Democratic Party's move to force through an extension of the second comprehensive special counsel's investigation at the Rotunda Hall in the National Assembly in Yeouido, western Seoul, on July 20.LIM HYUN-DONG
The amendment also expands the size of the special counsel’s team.
The maximum number of government officials who may be part of the special counsel has increased from 130 to 150, and the Ministry of National Defense has been added to the list of agencies that may be asked to provide personnel.
The bill also further expands the scope of the investigation to include “obstruction of government audits” by public officials, with harboring or aiding criminal suspects now explicitly added to the list of offenses.
Security officials stand outside special counsel Kwon Chang-young's office in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi.YONHAP
Up to 10 special investigators with at least five years of legal experience may be designated as trial attorneys in cases brought by the special counsel, and military prosecutors assigned to the special counsel may handle trial proceedings.
The amendment also allows the second comprehensive special counsel to obtain copies of case records from the three earlier investigations and inspect or copy their files.
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
