South Korea’s Opposition Calls on President Lee to Reject Special Counsel Bill

By Staff, Agencies

South Korea’s main opposition People Power Party [PPP] on Tuesday called on President Lee Jae Myung to veto legislation that would authorize a special counsel investigation into allegations that indictments against him and other political figures were fabricated.

PPP lawmakers staged a protest outside the presidential office in Seoul, accusing the ruling Democratic Party of seeking to protect Lee from criminal prosecution, Yonhap News Agency reported.

“The special counsel bill marks the final step in a project to free Lee Jae Myung from prison,” PPP leader Jang Dong-hyeok said.

Describing the legislation as a “jailbreak bill,” Jang called for Lee’s suspended criminal trials to resume.

The proposed legislation aims to investigate claims that prosecutors serving under former President Yoon Suk Yeol fabricated evidence or pressured witnesses to provide false testimony against Lee and other political figures.

Lee’s criminal trials have been suspended since he took office in June 2025, following constitutional provisions that shield sitting presidents from prosecution while in office, except in cases involving insurrection or treason.

The president faces several charges linked to development-related scandals, alleged illegal financial transfers to North Korea and the misuse of public funds.

The PPP has continued its demonstrations against the proposed legislation and announced plans to hold additional rallies across the country, starting in Busan on Saturday.

Meanwhile, the ruling Democratic Party rejected the opposition’s accusations, arguing that provisions allowing the special counsel to withdraw indictments had been removed from the final version of the bill.