S. Korea's parliament passes bills to investigate Yoon's insurrection, first lady's scandals

SEOUL -- South Korea's parliament on Thursday passed bills to appoint independent counsels to investigate President Yoon Suk-yeol's insurrection charge over his martial law declaration and scandals involving the first lady, local media reported.

Of 283 National Assembly lawmakers attending the plenary session, 195 voted for the special prosecutor bill against Yoon and 86 dissented, with two abstentions.

Under the bill, the president is required to pick and appoint one prosecutor among those recommended.

If Yoon vetoes it, the bill should be put to a revote in which at least two-thirds of the 300-member assembly should vote for it to be passed.

Yoon declared an emergency martial law on the night of Dec. 3, which was revoked by the National Assembly hours later.

The investigative agencies have probed rebellion and other charges against Yoon who became the country's first sitting president placed under an overseas travel ban.

Meanwhile, of 282 lawmakers participating in the vote Thursday on the special counsel bill against first lady Kim Keon-hee, 195 were in favor and 85 were against, with two abstentions.

Subject to the independent counsel's investigation were allegations of stock price manipulation and interference in candidate nominations for the 2022 by-elections and the 2024 parliamentary elections, as well as in public opinion manipulation during the 2022 presidential election.

The previous three bills against the first lady were vetoed by Yoon and scrapped in a revote.