Jung urges second special probe into three major cases

Dec 01, 2025, 11:29 am

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Rep. Jung Chung-rae, leader of the Democratic Party, speaks during a supreme council meeting at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on November 28. / Source: Yonhap News

Democratic Party leader Jung Chung-rae said on Monday that it is time to consider a “second comprehensive special counsel” to investigate unresolved elements of the three major probes involving Chae Hae-byeong, the insurrection case, and First Lady Kim Keon-hee. He argued that significant gaps in the investigations must be filled.

Speaking at a supreme council meeting at the National Assembly, Jung criticized what he called the court’s obstruction of truth-finding. “Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae’s judiciary has become an obstacle to uncovering the truth, dismissing 90% of arrest warrants requested by the Chae Hae-byeong special counsel,” he said, warning that the three probes risk ending in an incomplete state.

He noted that unresolved portions of the three investigations would be transferred to the National Office of Investigation, adding that the ruling People Power Party would then “attack the fairness of investigations conducted under the Lee Jae-myung administration.” He stressed, “It is time to consider a second comprehensive special counsel to consolidate the remaining issues and uncover the truth fairly and objectively. We cannot end it here — and we will not end it here.”

Jung argued that despite indicting 33 individuals during its 150-day mandate, the Chae Hae-byeong special counsel failed to resolve key suspicions. “The lobbying allegations surrounding former division commander Im Sung-geun remain completely unclear,” he said. Jung criticized the court for repeatedly rejecting arrest warrants, saying, “The special counsel tried to uncover the substance of the case, but the judiciary blocked the path. Out of ten warrants requested, nine were dismissed — a 90% rejection rate. The problem was the Cho Hee-dae judiciary.”

Addressing the insurrection case, Jung again pointed to what he described as judicial failures and vowed to pursue judicial reform, including the creation of a dedicated “insurrection division” within the courts. “In two days, it will be one year since the insurrection, yet not a single person has been punished. Public anxiety is rising over the possibility that insurrection ringleader Yoon Suk-yeol is freely walking the streets,” he said. Jung pledged to pass judicial reform legislation within the year, including expansion of Supreme Court justices and new provisions such as the “distortion of law” offense. “We will uphold the will of the people, undeterred by any pressure or obstruction.”

He also addressed the national budget deadline, calling next year’s budget — the first under the Lee Jae-myung administration — a “starting point for Korea’s recovery and growth.” He urged cooperation across party lines, saying, “There is no ruling or opposition party when it comes to people’s livelihoods. If the People Power Party refrains from indiscriminate cuts, we are prepared to work together in a bipartisan manner.”

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