rki.news
Source: Xinhua
South Korea’s parliament has approved an extension of an independent counsel investigation into former President Yoon Suk-yeol and his wife Kim Keon-hee over allegations involving insurrection, treason, and corruption.
The National Assembly, controlled by the ruling Democratic Party, passed an amendment to the special counsel law with a 173-0 vote. The vote followed the conclusion of a 24-hour filibuster by the opposition People Power Party, which boycotted the session in protest.
The approval allows the independent counsel team to continue its investigation until August 23. Under parliamentary rules, a filibuster can be ended after 24 hours with support from a three-fifths majority.
Yoon has faced legal proceedings linked to his December 2024 declaration of emergency martial law, which was revoked hours later by parliament. He was later indicted as a suspected leader of an alleged insurrection.
Kim Keon-hee has also been indicted over multiple corruption allegations, including bribery, stock manipulation, and illegal polling activities.
The extended investigation will examine allegations surrounding the former presidential couple as South Korea continues legal proceedings related to the country’s recent political crisis.