The presidential office has hinted at the possibility that President Yoon Suk Yeol could veto a bill calling for a special counsel probe into controversies surrounding a military report on the death of Marine Corporal Chae Su-geun last year.

Appearing on a radio show on Friday, Yoon’s senior political secretary Hong Chul-ho said that if the top office accepts the bill, it would set a "bad precedent" and could even be considered a "dereliction of duty."

Hong then added that it would naturally be difficult for President Yoon to accept the bill. 

The secretary said that the ongoing investigation by the police and the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) into the case should take priority before considering the special counsel probe, saying that it would be best to wait until the current investigation is completed. 

Hong added that the president should abide by the law and cannot just accept a special probe when separate legal procedures related to the case are already under way. 

On Thursday, the top office expressed strong regret over the passage of the controversial bill by the opposition-controlled National Assembly.