PPP voices objections to new first lady special counsel bill

The ruling People Power Party on Friday voiced objections to a new opposition-introduced bill calling for a special counsel probe into allegations involving first lady Kim Keon Hee, calling it an "unconstitutional wicked bill."

The main opposition Democratic Party introduced the bill on Thursday, the third time it submitted such a proposal after two previous versions were scrapped following revotes triggered by President Yoon Suk Yeol's vetoes.

The new bill expands the scope of the proposed special counsel investigation to include recent allegations that Kim solicited the help of Myung Tae-kyun, a self-proclaimed political broker, to conduct public opinion surveys favorable to her husband ahead of the 2022 presidential election.

"We cannot agree with it," PPP floor leader Rep. Choo Kyung-ho said during a party meeting. "It is an unconstitutional wicked bill meant to shield Chairman Lee Jae-myung and create the atmosphere to impeach the president."

Lee, the leader of the DP, is standing trial on various charges related to his time as Seongnam mayor and Gyeonggi governor.

"Targeting a certain individual and arguing for a special counsel probe into random allegations is unacceptable," Choo said.

"If we were to use the same method to introduce a Lee Jae-myung special counsel probe bill, we could put together 130 items for investigation, not 13," he said, referring to the 13 items the DP wants investigated related to the first lady. (Yonhap)