SEOUL, Dec 11 (NNN-YONHAP) – South Korea’s National Assembly, yesterday, 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 Defence 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 yesterday, 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), yesterday sought a preliminary arrest warrant for the former defence 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 last 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 apologise 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.– NNN-YONHAP
