The opposition-controlled National Assembly on Thursday passed a bill mandating a special counsel investigation into the military’s response to a Marine’s death last year.

The bill, which passed in a 168-0 vote, calls for the appointment of a special counsel to look into allegations of interference in the Marine Corps’ internal investigation into circumstances surrounding the death of Cpl. Chae Su-geun during a search mission for downpour victims in July 2023.

Lawmakers of the ruling People Power Party (PPP) boycotted the vote and walked out of the Assembly chamber in protest.

Rep. Yun Jae-ok, the PPP’s floor leader and the party’s acting chairman, staged a rally at the National Assembly with other party members and said he will ask President Yoon Suk Yeol to veto the bill.

Yun also criticized the Democratic Party (DP) for railroading the motion, saying his party will “not cooperate in all of the parliamentary sessions until the end of the outgoing National Assembly.”

The DP has pushed for the special pr
obe bill on allegations that Yoon’s office and the Ministry of Defense inappropriately interfered in a military investigation into the death of the Marine.

The bill had been pending in parliament since last month, after the DP unilaterally designated it as a fast-track bill with expedited deliberations.

The presidential office expressed “great regret” at the DP’s action.

“The Democratic Party’s forced passage of the special counsel bill is bad politics that tries to exploit the unfortunate death of Cpl. Chae for political purposes,” presidential chief of staff Chung Jin-sik said during a press briefing, noting an investigation is already under way by the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials and the police.

Chung further warned of a “stern response” from the presidential office.

Source: Yonhap News Agency