Published: 15:38, June 5, 2025 | Updated: 15:50, June 5, 2025
S. Korea's parliament passes bills to probe Yoon's insurrection, wife's scandals
By Xinhua
Then South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol (left) and his wife Kim Keon-hee arrive for the gala dinner at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in Jakarta, Indonesia, Sept 6, 2023. (PHOTO / AP)

SEOUL - South Korea's parliament on Thursday passed bills to appoint special counsels and probe the ousted President Yoon Suk-yeol's insurrection charge and scandals involving his wife, Kim Keon-hee.

Of the 198 National Assembly lawmakers attending the parliamentary plenary session, 194 voted for the bills with three dissents and one abstention.

ALSO READ: S. Korea's new President Lee begins moves to tackle economic 'crisis'

Under the bills, the newly elected President Lee Jae-myung is required to appoint an independent counsel per case among two candidates recommended by the ruling liberal Democratic Party and the left-leaning Rebuilding Korea Party.

READ MORE: S. Korea ex-President Yoon leaves conservative party

Subject to the special investigation will be insurrection charges against Yoon, who was removed from office in April following his botched martial law bid last December.

Scandals of Yoon's wife to be investigated will be allegations of stock price manipulation, receiving luxury handbags, interference in candidate nominations for the 2022 by-elections and the 2024 parliamentary elections and opinion polls rigging during the 2022 presidential election.