Parliamentary subcommittee passes bill to probe Yoon’s alleged election interference

A parliamentary judiciary subcommittee on Monday passed an opposition-led bill mandating a special counsel probe into allegations against impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol’s influence-peddling scandal during the 2022 by-elections.

The scandal involves allegations that Myung Tae-kyun, a self-proclaimed power broker, took approximately 76 million won (US$53,280) from former ruling party lawmaker Rep. Kim Young-sun in exchange for his help in getting her nominated for the 2022 parliamentary by-elections.

Myung allegedly won Kim Young-sun’s nomination in exchange for conducting public opinion polls favorable to Yoon ahead of the 2022 presidential election.

If the new bill passes the plenary session Thursday, the special counsel will look into allegations that Yoon and first lady Kim Keon Hee were involved in the nomination process of the 2022 local elections and by-elections, as well as parliamentary elections last year.

Six opposition parties proposed the bill on Feb. 11. Those parties believe the Changwon District Prosecutors Office, currently investigating Myung, is deliberately delaying its probe into Yoon, and they said they will look for possible interference by authorities at the Supreme Prosecutors Office and the presidential office of the senior secretary for civil affairs.

Representatives from the ruling People Power Party refused to take part in the voting during the subcommittee’s meeting Monday.