The "second comprehensive special counsel act," which allows an investigation for up to 170 days into areas that were not covered or were insufficiently probed by the three special counsels (insurrection, Kim Keon-hee, and the Marine's death in the line of duty cases), passed the Cabinet on the 20th. It came four days after it cleared the National Assembly's plenary session led by the Democratic Party of Korea. The People Power Party, the Reform Party, and other opposition parties asked President Lee Jae-myung to exercise the right to request reconsideration (veto), saying the "insurrection narrative" should stop, but it was not accepted. This is the fourth special counsel since the launch of the Lee Jae-myung administration.
On this day, President Lee presided over this year's second Cabinet meeting at Cheong Wa Dae and reviewed and approved promulgation bills, including the second comprehensive special counsel act. The total number of allegations to be investigated is 17. They include the alleged planning of insurrection and treason by the Yoon Suk-yeol administration, known as the "Noh Sang-won notebook" case, alleged nomination interference by Myeong Tae-gyun and Geonjin, and allegations involving first lady Kim Keon-hee and the Yangpyeong Expressway. Added to these were allegations of state agencies, local governments, and the military abetting a state of emergency martial law, and the so-called "martial law buses" organized to form a martial law command.
The investigative team may include up to 251 people: the special counsel, five assistant counsels, 15 dispatched prosecutors, 100 special investigators, and 130 dispatched civil servants. This nearly matches the largest team to date, the special counsel investigating the insurrection case (267 people). Once the Democratic Party of Korea and the Rebuilding Korea Party recommend candidates for special counsel, President Lee appoints one of them. The investigation period is up to 170 days, extending the probe beyond the June 3 local elections.
Previously, the three special counsels extended their terms three times and conducted a sweeping six-month investigation. Many related figures have been indicted and are on trial. In particular, the special counsel investigating the insurrection case sought the death penalty for former President Yoon Suk-yeol on the 13th on charges of being the "insurrection ringleader." With the approval of this bill, the scope of the second special counsel's targets and personnel has been expanded to allow an additional 170-day investigation. Notably, "whether local governments abetted martial law" was added to the targets, prompting talk that it effectively aims at People Power Party-affiliated local leaders such as Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon.
Because of this, the opposition bloc is pushing back, calling it a "local election–driven crackdown on the opposition." Concerns also emerged within the ruling bloc. Lee Seok-yeon, chairperson of the Presidential Committee of National Cohesion who worked on President Lee's presidential campaign, said at the Kwanhun Forum on the 13th, "The three special counsels have dug as much as they could, and shortcomings have been transferred to the National Office of Investigation (NOI) for continued investigation," adding, "It would be better to withdraw it because it could be seen as political retaliation."