Opposition leader vows to launch special counsel probe into first lady

이민지 / 2023-02-13 11:15:10

DP-special investigation

▲ Main opposition Democratic Party floor leader Park Hong-keun speaks at the National Assembly on Feb. 13, 2023. (Yonhap)

DP-special investigation

Opposition leader vows to launch special counsel probe into first lady

By Lee Minji

SEOUL, Feb. 13 (Yonhap) -- The floor leader of the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) vowed Monday to realize an independent counsel investigation into allegations that first lady Kim Keon Hee was involved in stock manipulation.

Rep. Park Hong-keun made the pledge, denouncing last week's court ruling that dismissed charges against a key player in the Deutsch Motors stock manipulation case, citing the expiration of the statute of limitations, and also acquitted financiers accused of providing money for the scheme.

The DP has long accused Kim of also playing the role of a financier in the scheme.

"The prosecution, the court and the presidential office has formed the Trinity in an attempt to save Kim Keon Hee," Park said in a speech at the National Assembly. "Who in the world is the president? Is first lady Kim also subject to the privilege not to get prosecuted? Is she in a sanctuary even if she is at fault?

"We should straighten up the collapsed judicial justice through an investigation that leaves no sanctuary. The only way left is a special prosecutor investigation," he said.

The stock manipulation case centers on allegations that Kwon Oh-soo, a former head of Deutsch Motors Inc., a BMW car dealer in South Korea, conspired with influential market players to manipulate the company's stock prices between December 2009 and December 2012.

Kwon was sentenced to a suspended prison term.

But the court dismissed charges of stock manipulation conducted before October 2010, citing the expiration of the statute of limitations. Two people accused of playing the role of financiers in the scheme were also acquitted.

The presidential office has said the ruling shows Kim is also innocent.

During the speech, Park also accused President Yoon Suk Yeol of using the prosecution for political revenge against DP leader Lee Jae-myung. Lee has undergone three rounds of questioning by prosecutors over corruption allegations that he claimed were fabricated.

Park spent the remainder of his speech lashing out at the government, accusing the president of causing diplomatic, security and economic problems since coming into power in May last year.

"The bigger problem is that he is trying to overcome incompetence and irresponsibility through arrogant governing," Park said. "The problem in the Republic of Korea in crisis is President Yoon."

On North Korea, Park claimed that most of the general public considers Yoon's "audacious initiative," which offers to provide massive economic assistance in exchange for the North's denuclearization commitment, is "not feasible."

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