The Korea Herald

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2 special probe bills, including one involving first lady, scrapped in revote after Yoon's veto

By Yonhap

Published : Feb. 29, 2024 - 21:06

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The main opposition Democratic Party lawmakers discuss after the special investigation proposals have been scrapped at the National Assembly in Seoul on Thursday. (Yonhap) The main opposition Democratic Party lawmakers discuss after the special investigation proposals have been scrapped at the National Assembly in Seoul on Thursday. (Yonhap)

Two opposition-led special investigation proposals, one of which involves allegations against first lady Kim Keon Hee, were scrapped Thursday in a revote after President Yoon Suk Yeol vetoed them last month.

The results have widely been expected as two-thirds support is required for vetoed bills to pass through the Assembly again, and the ruling People Power Party (PPP), which is against the measures, holds 113 seats in the 297-member parliament.

The bills, which the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) railroaded through the Assembly in late December, call for an independent counsel probe into allegations the first lady was involved in the stock price manipulation of Deutsche Motors Inc., a BMW car dealer in South Korea, between 2009 to 2012.

The other proposal is about allegations that six prominent people of the so-called 5 billion club were promised 5 billion won (US$3.8 million) each from an asset management firm involved in a corruption-ridden development project in the Daejang-dong district in Seongnam, south of Seoul.

The DP had earlier refused to put the bills to a revote, demanding the PPP first agree to finalize the redistricting plan for the April general elections. The revote took place after the rival parties reached an agreement on the redistricting plan. (Yonhap)