Anchor: The National Assembly passed special counsel bills on Thursday targeting former President Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife, Kim Keon-hee. Chances of a veto are slim under President Lee Jae-myung, who campaigned on a pledge to bring accountability after Yoon shocked the nation by declaring martial law late at night on December 3, and special investigations are expected to zero in on the ex-presidential couple soon. 
Kim Bum-soo has more.   

Report: 
[Sound bite: Nat’l Assembly plenary session]
The ruling Democratic Party has succeeded in pushing through a series of controversial special counsel bills, with one targeting former President Yoon Suk Yeol over martial law and another targeting 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 all but a handful of lawmakers from the main opposition party boycotted the floor proceedings.

One bill authorizes a permanent special counsel to look into eleven allegations against Yoon in connection with his martial law move in December, including allegations of insurrection and treason. 

For the former first lady, the Assembly wants to get to the bottom of several questions, including whether she broke the law in a stock price manipulation case or by accepting a luxury bag. 

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 repeatedly vetoed the three special counsel bills when he was president, but on Thursday an official at the presidential office told reporters that there is little reason for newly inaugurated President Lee Jae-myung to do so.
Kim Bum-soo, KBS World Radio News.