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E-mail Xinhua, December 11, 2024
South Korea's National Assembly lawmakers vote on a resolution in Seoul, South Korea, Dec. 10, 2024. [Photo/NEWSIS via Xinhua]
South Korea's National Assembly Tuesday passed a bill to appoint a permanent special counsel to investigate insurrection charges against President Yoon Suk-yeol, as well as a resolution calling for Yoon's immediate arrest over his botched martial law declaration.
The bill, which was finally approved in a 210-63 vote with 14 abstentions, calls for an investigation into the embattled president, former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun, Army Chief of Staff Park An-su, who had been named to lead the martial law command, and other officials involved in imposing martial law on Dec. 3.
Lawmakers of the ruling People Power Party also cast their vote. Earlier, the party decided not to choose whether to vote for or reject the bill.
The list of those subject to the independent counsel investigation also includes Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, Counterintelligence Commander Yeo In-hyung and Choo Kyung-ho, former floor leader of the ruling People Power Party.
Unlike a regular special counsel probe, the president cannot exercise the right to veto a bill over a permanent special counsel. The president, however, can delay the appointment of the counsel.
The National Assembly also passed a resolution Tuesday calling for the immediate arrest of President Yoon Suk-yeol and seven other officials over last week's botched martial law declaration.
The main opposition Democratic Party of Korea stated in the explanation of the resolution that President Yoon had the intention to subvert the National Assembly or make it unable to perform its duties, and could be listed as the ringleader of the insurrection, and it is necessary to arrest him promptly.
Meanwhile, the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) Tuesday sought a preliminary arrest warrant for the former defense minister over his role in the short-lived martial law declaration by Yoon.
The investigative body said it filed for the arrest warrant as part of its own probe, in case a similar request by the prosecution gets rejected by a Seoul court, which is expected to make its decision as early as late Tuesday night.
A separate investigation team led by the prosecution is seeking a court warrant to formally arrest Kim, who allegedly proposed the martial law declaration to Yoon.
The court has begun its arraignment hearing to decide whether to issue the arrest warrant, without Kim's presence, after Kim said that he would forgo the hearing.
"I deeply apologize for causing great anxiety and inconvenience to the people," Kim said in a statement released by his legal counsel.
"All responsibility for this situation lies solely with me. My subordinates were simply faithful in following my orders and the missions that were given to them. I ask for leniency for them," he said.
