DP proposes special counsel probe bill on Marine's death for 4th time; PPP unlikely to accept

The main opposition Democratic Party has proposed a bill mandating a special counsel recommended by the Supreme Court chief justice investigate the military's response to a Marine's death last year.

The bill, proposed Tuesday, mandates that the chief justice recommend four candidates to the special counsel. They will be narrowed down by the opposition parties to two, from which the president will make the final appointment.

The special counsel will be tasked with looking into allegations the presidential office and the defense ministry inappropriately interfered in the military's investigation into the death of Cpl. Chae Su-geun, who was killed during a search mission for victims of heavy downpours in July 2023.

The latest bill is similar to the "third party" bill that ruling People Power Party leader Han Dong-hoon proposed but gives opposition parties more authority to choose among the recommended special prosecutors.

The bill also allows the DP to exercise veto rights and demand that the chief justice make the recommendations again if the candidates are deemed unsuitable.

Han hinted that the PPP is unlikely to support the DP's proposal.

"I looked at (the bill) but not much has changed," he said.

Han earlier suggested that the special counsel be chosen by a "third party," such as the chief justice, and not by the rival parties or the president, to ensure more fairness.

A similar bill had initially passed through the previous National Assembly but was scrapped in a revote after President Yoon Suk Yeol vetoed it.

The DP proposed another bill after the new National Assembly came into office in late May, but it was also discarded in July following Yoon's veto.

Last month, the DP proposed its third bill, expanding the scope of the probe to include first lady Kim Keon Hee. (Yonhap)