Democratic Party advances three special prosecutor bills

The Democratic Party has passed three special counsel bills in the first National Assembly plenary session since President Lee Jae-myung took office. The bills call for independent investigations into former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s alleged rebellion, first lady Kim Keon Hee’s stock manipulation scandal and other suspicions, and claims of external pressure in the investigation of Pvt. Chae’s death. Up to 120 prosecutors will reportedly be assigned to the three probes.

The rebellion bill targets 11 charges against Yoon and others, including insurrection and treason. The bill related to Kim includes 16 allegations, among them stock manipulation and ties to Myung Tae-kyun and Jeon Seong-bae. The Chae bill covers eight allegations of interference in the investigation, including suspected pressure from Yoon.

The Democratic Party called the legislation necessary to end the insurrection. The People Power Party condemned the move as “majority tyranny,” but some of its lawmakers broke ranks and voted in favor.

Each of the three cases remains unresolved due to inadequate investigations. The Dec. 3 martial law incident led to indictments of Yoon and others for rebellion, but prosecutors did not question Yoon himself and relied on testimony from other suspects. Key questions remain unanswered, including the true motive for the martial law order and whether there was a plan to provoke a North Korean attack to justify it. This was suggested by the so-called “Noh Sang-won notebook.”

Prosecutors were similarly passive in their investigation of Kim Keon Hee. Allegations involving her interference in party nominations, illicit gifts such as Chanel handbags, and the Deutsche Motors stock manipulation case, many of which arose before and after Yoon’s inauguration, went unaddressed for years. She was never subject to a compulsory investigation and was ultimately cleared without indictment, fueling accusations of favoritism. Nearly two years after Pvt. Chae’s death, prosecutors have yet to uncover the truth behind reports of Yoon’s anger and possible interference.

Yoon and acting presidents repeatedly vetoed the bills, twice for the rebellion case, four times for Kim Keon Hee, and three times for Pvt. Chae. But these issues cannot be buried. Investigating suspected martial law violations, potential abuse of power, and interference in a soldier’s death is not about settling political scores. It is about restoring the rule of law. A thorough, independent investigation is the only way to resolve public distrust and prevent further division. At the same time, it is essential to ensure these probes do not devolve into political retaliation.