Special counsel bill sparks debate over power to drop ongoing trials

A special counsel bill proposed by the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) would allow an independent counsel to withdraw indictments in ongoing trials, a provision now at the center of debate over its impact on court proceedings. The bill, introduced on Thursday, calls for an investigation into alleged fabricated investigations and indictments under the previous Yoon Suk Yeol administration. It designates 12 cases for review, including the Daejang-dong and Wirye development projects — large-scale land development schemes launched during President Lee Jae Myung’s tenure as mayor of Seongnam that have since become among the most politically sensitive issues in South Korea — as well as the Ssangbangwool remittance case, which centers on allegations that a private firm transferred funds to North Korea. The proposal follows a parliamentary inquiry led by the ruling party, which claimed that prosecutors may have relied on coercive questioning, selective investigations and distorted evidence. The DPK argues that an independent probe is needed to reassess whether those cases were handl

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