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The ruling and opposition parties are clashing over a parliamentary inquiry into allegations of preferential treatment related to the Seoul-Yangpyeong Expressway. The Democratic Party of Korea adopted a party resolution to push for the inquiry and submitted a request to the National Assembly, but the People Power Party criticized it as a political move aimed at diverting attention from the legal risks facing leader Lee Jae-myung by provoking political conflict.

Earlier, on the 27th, the Democratic Party submitted a request to the National Assembly for a parliamentary inquiry to investigate allegations of preferential treatment involving the presidential family’s land ownership related to the route change of the Seoul-Yangpyeong Expressway.

In the request, the Democratic Party pointed out, "Despite numerous lands owned by the presidential family near the changed terminus of the Seoul-Yangpyeong Expressway raising suspicions of preferential treatment, Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Won Hee-ryong unilaterally canceled the project, causing social confusion."

The scene around Gangsang-myeon, Yangpyeong-gun, Gyeonggi-do, the terminal point of the alternative route for the Seoul-Yangpyeong Expressway, on the afternoon of the 14th. [Image source=Yonhap News]

In response, the People Power Party criticized it as "an abuse of power to save the party leader." They argued that holding a parliamentary inquiry despite the suspicions being cleared during the National Assembly Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee’s recent inquiry is an attempt to provoke political conflict.

Senior Spokesperson Yoo Sang-beom said in a statement on the 28th, "Despite most of the expressway-related suspicions being resolved through Minister Won Hee-ryong’s answers during the 13-hour-long National Assembly Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee inquiry, insisting on a parliamentary inquiry admits to 'deliberate stalling.' This is nothing but a political offensive to save leader Lee Jae-myung, who is facing a second legal risk due to allegations of illegal remittances to North Korea by Ssangbangwool and the Baekhyeon-dong development scandal, and an abuse of power by the major opposition party."

Supreme Council Member Kim Byung-min also mocked it as a "pre-decided parliamentary inquiry." On YTN radio that day, Kim said, "There is no evidence to suggest that this is about giving preferential treatment to the land owned by First Lady Kim Geon-hee’s family, yet they continue to talk about the 'Kim Geon-hee Road' and carry out this political offensive, which is just an attempt to hinder the Yoon Seok-yeol administration."

Since the Democratic Party holds a majority of seats, if the opposition leads the parliamentary inquiry, the ruling party cannot avoid it. A parliamentary inquiry request can be submitted with the support of at least one-quarter of the total members, and the inquiry plan is approved by a majority of the members present at a plenary session with a quorum of more than half of the total members.

However, concerns remain that even if the parliamentary inquiry is held, its effectiveness will be limited. Without cooperation from the government and ruling party, it is difficult to conduct a thorough and swift investigation through witness summons and document requests.

During the October 29 Itaewon tragedy parliamentary inquiry last year, the ruling and opposition parties clashed over witness summons and extension of the investigation period. The 2014 Sewol ferry parliamentary inquiry failed to hold even a single hearing due to prolonged political conflict over witness summons and ultimately did not adopt a final report.

Former lawmaker Yoon Hee-sook expressed doubts about the effectiveness of the inquiry, even though the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the ruling party have no grounds to refuse it when the public has suspicions. On the 28th, appearing on CBS Radio’s 'Kim Hyun-jung’s News Show,' Yoon said, "They may not want to accept it, but there is no justification for refusing a parliamentary inquiry when the public is curious. It would be difficult to resist when the National Assembly decides to hold one."

However, Yoon also said, "The Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee inquiry lasted over ten hours, and although I didn’t watch all of it, I was worried. If the parliamentary inquiry is conducted in this manner, I feel that nothing substantial will come out," adding, "I am concerned that a parliamentary inquiry that truly clarifies the essential issues, like those for the Sewol ferry or Itaewon tragedies, will not be properly conducted."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.