The main opposition Democratic Party and five other opposition parties have jointly urged President Yoon Suk Yeol to accept a special counsel probe into the military’s controversial handling of an investigation into the death of a Marine.

The leaderships of the six parties – the DP, the Rebuilding Korea Party, the New Reform Party, the Justice Party, the Progressive Party and the New Future Party – made the call on Saturday in a press conference in front of the War Memorial of Korea near the Yongsan presidential office.

DP Floor Leader Park Chan-dae rhetorically asked if it was asking for too much to demand an investigation to find out why a young Marine died while supporting flood recovery operations and whether there was undue pressure during the investigation.

Rebuilding Korea Party Chairman Cho Kuk said that this issue is a matter of truth, not left or right, or the ruling and opposition parties, adding that if the president exercises his veto right, the people will veto him.

The press conference was held on the occasion of a 700-kilometer march by Marine reservists calling for the president to accept the special counsel probe.

The opposition bloc plans to hold a national rally on May 25 if the president vetoes the bill.