The ruling Democratic Party of Korea is accelerating plans for a special counsel probe into allegedly fabricated indictments and a parliamentary investigation into Supreme Court Chief Justice Jo Hee-de once the National Assembly's annual audit of government agencies concludes. The push follows an acquittal for Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon that has left the ruling bloc on the defensive, prompting the party to bring judicial issues to the forefront as a way to rally its base.
According to political sources on the 25th, the Democratic Party plans to begin processing a special counsel bill as soon as the parliamentary audit ends, aimed at examining allegations that prosecutors fabricated indictments under the Yoon Suk-yeol administration. The probe is expected to cover a total of 12 cases, including those involving President Lee Jae-myung — the Daejang-dong and Baekhyeon-dong development corruption cases and the Ssangbangwool money transfer to North Korea — as well as cases in which officials of the Moon Jae-in administration were indicted, such as the shooting death of a fisheries official in the West Sea. The party plans to remove a clause allowing the special counsel to withdraw indictments, which had drawn criticism that it could grant Lee a "self-pardon," in order to reduce political controversy over the probe. The party is reported to be holding a briefing on the alleged fabricated indictments at the National Assembly on the 28th to underscore the need for a special counsel.
Analysts say the party's decision to again put the special counsel probe front and center reflects an intent to shift the political narrative by rallying its support base. Jeon Yong-gi, a member of the party's supreme council, said in a radio interview on the 15th that the special counsel push "can certainly serve to drive up approval ratings among our support base."
On the question of impeaching the chief justice, the party's strategy is to first conduct a parliamentary investigation to establish specific grounds for impeachment. Party leader Kim Min-seok signaled the investigation during a party YouTube broadcast on the 22nd, saying that "preliminary or separate measures are also needed to build broader public support."
A Democratic Party official said public distrust of the judiciary among the party's supporters has peaked after Oh was acquitted in an appeals ruling on charges of violating the Political Funds Act. "We judge that the minimum momentum needed to push ahead with a parliamentary investigation has been secured," the official said.