Opposition parties unilaterally passed the bill during a subcommittee meeting of the National Assembly’s legislation and judiciary committee. Lawmakers of the ruling People Power Party (PPP) boycotted the vote in protest of the bill.

The new version proposes that the Supreme Court’s chief justice recommend a special counsel to look into Yoon’s insurrection charges in an apparent effort to secure more defection votes from the PPP.

The main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) also excludes a clause that allows opposition parties to request a new recommendation in the event the proposed candidate is deemed unfit.

Instead, the revised bill expands the scope of the investigation to include fresh allegations of “treason” committed by Yoon against his own country. The DPK claims Yoon attempted to provoke military attacks from North Korea to justify his plans for martial law declaration.

“It is difficult to say that the overall arrangement, plan and implementation process of the insurrection have been fully revealed,” DPK Rep. Park Beom-kye, the subcommittee chair, said.

Park stressed that the special counsel should investigate the insurrection more broadly than previously investigated by the prosecution, police and the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials.

To address concerns about the potential leakage of military information, searches and seizures will be allowed but details will be prohibited from being disclosed during press briefings.

The number of prosecutors and investigators dispatched will also be reduced from 205 to 155, and the investigation period has been shortened from 170 days to 150 days.

The previous bill, which proposed special counsel recommendations from the DPK and the minor opposition Rebuilding Korea Party, was scrapped Wednesday after being voted down by just two votes.

When the new bill passes the plenary session of the legislation and judiciary committee Monday, it is expected to advance to a full floor vote next week. (Yonhap)

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