Nat'l Assembly set to vote on new special probe bill against ex-President Yoon, wife

▲ Lawmakers discuss a bill calling for a second round of the comprehensive special counsel probe into former President Yoon Suk Yeol's martial law and corruption allegations, along with other matters, during a plenary session at the National Assembly in Seoul on Jan. 15, 2026. (Yonhap)

parliament-special probe bill

Nat'l Assembly set to vote on new special probe bill against ex-President Yoon, wife

By Yi Wonju

SEOUL, Jan. 16 (Yonhap) -- The National Assembly, led by the ruling Democratic Party (DP), was set to vote Friday on a bill to launch another new special counsel probe into former President Yoon Suk Yeol's martial law imposition and its aftermath, as well as allegations surrounding his wife.

The DP will put the bill to a vote during a plenary session as the opposition's filibuster to block the move ends later in the day after reaching its 24-hour limit.

The bill for the second round of the comprehensive special counsel probe would reopen investigations into alleged insurrection charges related to Yoon's failed martial law bid, along with corruption allegations tied to former first lady Kim Keon Hee and the 2023 death of a Marine, covering 17 allegations that were not fully addressed by the three previous counsels.

The DP, which currently holds a parliamentary majority with 163 out of 296 seats, is expected to push the bill through.

The move is likely to deepen bipartisan tensions ahead of the local elections in June, with the PPP denouncing the DP's push as politically motivated and the DP calling for an end to the aftermath of Yoon's martial law.

PPP leader Jang Dong-hyeok launched a hunger strike shortly after Thursday's plenary session began, demanding the DP accept opposition-backed special probe bills on an alleged bribery scandal involving the Unification Church.

(END)

(C) Yonhap News Agency. All Rights Reserved