Photo : KBS
Anchor: Ruling and opposition parties are exerting pressure on first lady Kim Keon-hee, who is mired in a dozen allegations, including interference in party politics. In an apparent bid to salvage the administration’s poor approval ratings, the ruling party chief has urged the first lady to stay out of the public eye, while the main opposition has tabled another bill to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate her.
Kim Bum-soo has the latest.
Report: People Power Party Chairman Han Dong-hoon has again urged embattled first lady Kim Keon-hee to stop making public appearances.
Amid rising concerns over various allegations surrounding the first lady, Han addressed the situation during a party supreme council meeting Thursday, saying the issues are overshadowing the government’s reform efforts.
The ruling party leader argued that the first lady should refrain from official engagements, having promised during her husband’s presidential campaign to provide “quiet spousal support.”
As the ruling party attempts to hold the first lady in check, the main opposition Democratic Party has tabled yet another special law that would make her the target of an independent counsel probe.
With the latest bill, the party wants to scrutinize a total of 13 suspicions surrounding the first lady, ranging from the Dior bag and stock price manipulation scandals to her ties to power broker Myung Tae-kyun and allegations that she interfered in party politics.
This marks the third time the main opposition has sought to enact a special law for this purpose, as President Yoon Suk Yeol vetoed earlier attempts.
Democratic Party floor leader Park Chan-dae warned that if Yoon vetoes another bill to protect his wife, he will only hasten the collapse of his own administration.
While the aim of this bill is to launch a full-fledged independent counsel probe, the Democratic Party also plans to invoke the 2014 Act on the Appointment of Independent Prosecutor to launch a separate special counsel investigation.
It would last for up to 90 days and look at three more allegations.
Kim Bum-soo, KBS World Radio News.