Kim Keon-hee special counsel investigation bill rejected in third re-vote, short 2 votes

[Anchor]

As previously reported, in the plenary session today (Dec. 7), there was also a re-vote on the special counsel investigation bill against First Lady Kim Keon-hee.

This was the third re-vote.

The result was again a failure.

It fell short by two votes for passage.

Woo Won-shik reports.

[Report]

With all 300 members of the National Assembly present in the plenary hall, the 'Kim Keon-hee special counsel investigation bill' was presented ahead of the presidential impeachment motion.

[Woo Won-shik/Chairman of the National Assembly: "I present the bill on the appointment of a special counsel to investigate the stock manipulation case involving President Yoon Suk Yeol's spouse, Kim Keon-hee."]

The special counsel investigation bill on First Lady Kim has passed the National Assembly three times solely with the opposition party's support, but President Yoon Suk Yeol has repeatedly exercised his right to request reconsideration, leading to this third re-vote.

In the midst of protests from the opposition, Minister of Justice Park Sung-jae spoke on behalf of Prime Minister Han Duck-soo to clarify the government's position.

[Park Sung-jae/Minister of Justice: "This bill poses a problem that undermines the principle of fairness, which is fundamental to our judicial system..."]

For a bill that the president has requested reconsideration on, a majority of the members present must vote in favor, with at least two-thirds of those present supporting it.

With all members present, the number of votes needed for passage is 200.

However, the vote count revealed that it fell short by two votes for passage.

[Woo Won-shik/Chairman of the National Assembly: "Out of a total of 300 votes, there were 198 in favor and 102 against, thus it is declared rejected."]

In the ruling People Power Party, which set the rejection as its party line, there were six defecting votes, two more than in the re-vote in October, but it still did not meet the quorum for a decision.

The discarded special counsel bill aims to investigate allegations of First Lady Kim's involvement in stock manipulation and suspicions related to Mr. Myung Tae -kyun, with the Chief Justice recommending the special counsel, but the opposition having veto power.

In today's plenary session, the impeachment motion against Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min, proposed by the Democratic Party, was also submitted.

The Democratic Party stated that Minister Lee is suspected of having supported an illegal martial law and announced that they would process the vote in the plenary session on December 10th.

KBS News, Woo Won-shik.