(LEAD) Nat'l Assembly passes 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)

(LEAD) parliament-special probe bill

(LEAD) Nat'l Assembly passes new special probe bill against ex-President Yoon, wife

(ATTN: UPDATES with bill passed; CHANGES headline)

By Yi Wonju

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

Lawmakers voted 172 for and two against, at a plenary session as the opposition's filibuster to block the bill ended 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 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.

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