[COVER STORY] Special counsel bill deepens partisan rift over impact on Lee's suspended trials

The Korea Times - Nov 9, 2026

A special counsel bill aimed at uncovering alleged politically motivated investigations under former President Yoon Suk Yeol is deepening a partisan divide over its potential to influence criminal cases against President Lee Jae Myung. The ruling bloc claims the special counsel probe is necessary because Lee and other liberal party leaders were unfairly indicted with fabricated evidence and false testimonies by prosecutors under Yoon, while conservative opposition parties, which say Lee is abusing his power to avoid criminal charges, are calling for his impeachment. The dispute intensified on Monday as Justice Minister nominee Lee Yong-cheol said he would handle calls to drop charges against Lee “in accordance with the law and principles” — a different stance from former Minister Jung Sung-ho, who said it was up to the prosecution, not him, to decide whether to nullify indictments against the president. A longtime associate of the president, Lee Yong-cheol was nominated on Friday, prompting the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) to question whether he was chosen to facilitat

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