The ruling Democratic Party has succeeded in pushing through controversial bills authorizing special counsel investigations against former President Yoon Suk Yeol over martial law and former first lady Kim Keon-hee over various allegations.

During a plenary session on Thursday, the Democratic Party-dominated parliament passed the “insurrection special probe” bill and other long-disputed bills despite protests from the main opposition People Power Party.

The bills passed as the main opposition boycotted the floor proceedings, citing concerns over legislative overreach, with the exception of a handful of lawmakers.

The Assembly also passed another independent counsel bill concerning allegations that the Yoon administration unlawfully interfered in a military investigation into the 2023 death of a Marine during a torrential rain rescue operation.

Yoon had repeatedly vetoed the three special counsel bills when he was president.