Yeo to Force Kim Geon-hee Special Prosecutor Law Today... Ruling Party Shows No Clever Move

No Way to Stop Ruling Party's Forced Passage Despite Opposition Majority
"Even Han Dong-hoon Would Find It Hard to Defy the President's Will"

The special investigation law on Kim Geon-hee, the wife of President Yoon Seok-yeol, led by the Democratic Party of Korea, also known as the 'Kim Geon-hee Special Investigation Law,' will be brought to the National Assembly plenary session on the 28th. Amid expectations of the opposition party's forced passage, the People Power Party has declared it an 'election-driven malicious law' and stated that it will never accept it.

However, since the opposition party, which holds the majority of seats, can pass the bill alone, the ruling party has virtually no way to block it. If the special investigation law passes the National Assembly, President Yoon Seok-yeol is expected to exercise his right to request reconsideration (veto), but there is concern about a backlash from public opinion. From the People Power Party's perspective, it is truly a dilemma.

Handonghun, Emergency Response Committee Chairman of the People Power Party, touches his glasses while making a statement at the People Power Party headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul, on the afternoon of the 26th. Photo by Jo Yongjun jun21@

On the 28th, the National Assembly will hold a plenary session to vote on the so-called 'double special investigation laws,' including allegations related to Mrs. Kim and the Daejang-dong 5 billion won club scandal. Both bills were designated as fast-track bills by the opposition parties, including the Democratic Party, in April, and after the 60-day deliberation period, they will be automatically submitted to the plenary session according to the National Assembly Act. Since not only the Democratic Party (167 seats) but also the Justice Party (6 seats) support the double special investigation laws, smooth passage is expected despite opposition from the People Power Party (112 seats). The special investigation law requires a majority of the total members present and a majority of those present to pass.

The People Power Party maintains an absolute refusal to accept the special investigation law. On the 28th, Lee Yang-su, the senior deputy floor leader of the People Power Party, said on SBS Radio's 'Kim Tae-hyun's Political Show' regarding the Kim Geon-hee special investigation law, "During the previous administration, forced investigations and searches were conducted for over two years, but no charges were found. The president married Mrs. Kim Geon-hee in 2012, but the incidents in question occurred before their marriage," adding, "Special investigations are meant to investigate power-related corruption, but the allegations against Mrs. Kim cannot be considered power-related corruption at all."

On the same day, Yoo Sang-beom, a People Power Party lawmaker, criticized the Democratic Party in an interview on YTN Radio's 'News King Park Ji-hoon' by saying, "There is nothing problematic about Mrs. Kim Geon-hee's current actions," and "The problem is the political exploitation of the public's critical perception of Mrs. Kim's actions, which is a continuous political offensive."

The Democratic Party pressured the People Power Party, stating they would proceed according to the National Assembly Act. Hong Ik-pyo, the floor leader of the Democratic Party, said on CBS Radio's 'Kim Hyun-jung's News Show' that "it has been almost two years since this law was discussed, but there has not been a single negotiation with the ruling party during that time," adding, "Han Dong-hoon was appointed as the emergency committee chairman last week, and if there had been any room for negotiation, he would have shared his plans." Hong also said, "However, according to media reports, the president was enraged, and Lee Gwan-seop, the policy chief of the presidential office, appeared on a broadcast opposing the law as a malicious law and expressed intentions to veto it," adding, "Even Chairman Han will find it difficult to go against the president's will in practice."

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