SEOUL: The People Power Party (PPP) has strongly objected to a new bill introduced by the opposition Democratic Party (DP), which seeks a special counsel investigation into allegations against South Korea’s first lady, Kim Keon Hee. The PPP has condemned the bill as “unconstitutional” and claims it is politically motivated.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the bill was introduced by the DP on Thursday, marking the third attempt by the opposition to launch a probe into the first lady after two previous proposals were nullified by presidential vetoes. The latest version of the bill not only reiterates past allegations but also includes new claims that Kim Keon Hee engaged Myung Tae-kyun, a supposed political broker, to manipulate public opinion polls before the 2022 presidential election.
During a party meeting, PPP floor leader Rep. Choo Kyung-ho expressed his disapproval, stating, “We cannot agree with it. It is an unconstitutional wicked bill meant to shield Chairman Lee Jae-myung and create the atmosphere
to impeach the president.” Lee Jae-myung, the current leader of the DP and former mayor of Seongnam and governor of Gyeonggi, is presently on trial facing multiple charges from his tenure in office.
Rep. Choo criticized the opposition’s targeting of Kim Keon Hee, suggesting that if similar methods were used against Lee Jae-myung, the PPP could propose a special counsel investigation with “130 items for investigation, not just 13,” referring to the number of allegations the DP seeks to investigate concerning the first lady.