Ruling party seeks second special probe into Yoon

Dec 23, 2025, 09:26 am

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Lawmakers of the Democratic Party of Korea submit a bill for a second comprehensive special counsel probe targeting former President Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife Kim Keon-hee at the National Assembly on Dec. 22. / Yonhap

The Democratic Party of Korea on Monday introduced a bill to launch a second comprehensive special counsel investigation targeting former President Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife Kim Keon-hee, saying the public is still “hungry for the truth.”

The party’s special task force overseeing responses to the three previous special probes submitted the bill to the National Assembly, formally titled the “Act on the Appointment of a Special Prosecutor to Uncover the Truth Behind Insurrection, Foreign Aggression and State Affairs Manipulation by Yoon Suk Yeol and Kim Keon-hee.”

Rep. Lee Sung-yoon, who led the bill’s sponsorship, said earlier investigations had made progress but left key questions unanswered due to limited probe periods and court rejections of search warrants. “The people are still starving for the truth behind allegations of insurrection and foreign collusion involving Yoon, as well as state affairs manipulation linked to Kim,” he said.

The proposed investigation would cover 14 allegations, including claims related to Yoon’s Dec. 3 declaration of martial law, suspected election campaign irregularities, alleged dealings with the Unification Church, and interference in candidate nominations during the 2022 local elections and the 2024 general election.

Allegations involving Kim include suspected involvement in the relocation of the presidential residence, a controversial highway route change in Yangpyeong, alleged lobbying linked to the death of Marine Cpl. Chae, and the suspected use of encrypted phones. The party said these issues were either insufficiently examined or newly uncovered during earlier probes.

Under the bill, the special counsel would be granted up to 170 days to investigate, including a 20-day preparation period, with a team of up to 156 personnel, including 30 prosecutors and 70 dispatched officials. The Democratic Party and the Rebuilding Korea Party would each recommend one candidate for special counsel, with the president appointing one of them.

The ruling party aims to pass the bill at a plenary session in January. Rep. Jeon Hyun-hee, head of the task force, said the measure is being pursued as a de facto party line and will be pushed through as swiftly as possible. Party leader Jung Cheong-rae added that the legislation would move forward immediately after the conclusion of the existing Kim Keon-hee probe, separate from the ongoing Unification Church special investigation.

#second special counsel #comprehensive probe #Yoon Suk Yeol #Kim Keon-hee #Democratic Party of Korea