South Korean lawmakers approve special investigations into martial law and Yoon's wife

SEOUL, South Korea — South Korea's liberal-led legislature overwhelmingly passed bills Thursday to launch special investigations into former President Yoon Suk Yeol's short-lived imposition of martial law in December and criminal allegations against his wife, targeting the ousted conservative a day after his liberal successor took office.

The National Assembly also passed a bill to initiate an independent investigation into the 2023 drowning death of a marine during a search-and-rescue operation for flood victims, an incident the Democratic Party, which holds majority, accuses Yoon's government of covering up.

The bills previously had been vetoed by Yoon during his term and by South Korea's caretaker government after his Dec. 14 impeachment.

President Lee Jae-myung, a Democrat who won Tuesday's snap election triggered by Yoon's removal from office, is expected to sign the bills.

Many members of the conservative People Power Party refused to participate in the votes, which took place after one of the party's lawmakers accused the liberals of being driven by vendetta.

Kim Yong-min, a Democratic Party lawmaker, said the conservatives were effectively defending Yoon's imposition of martial law by repeatedly opposing investigations into it.

''That's why they failed to win public support and were rejected by voters in the presidential election,'' he said in a speech.

Lee, who drove the legislative efforts to impeach Yoon, pinned his presidential campaign on unity, promising not to target conservatives and calling for an end to political polarization.

Yet Lee has vowed a full investigation into Yoon's martial law imposition and the allegations surrounding his wife, moves that could overshadow the new government and inflame tensions as Yoon faces a high-stakes rebellion trial carrying a possible death sentence.

The Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office has indicted Yoon on charges accusing Yoon of masterminding a rebellion and enacting martial law as an illegal bid to seize the legislature and election offices and arrest political opponents.

Liberals have insisted independent investigations into Yoon are essential, saying probes by prosecutors, police and an anti-corruption agency were inadequate and hampered by Yoon's refusal to cooperate. If Lee approves the independent investigations, special prosecutors could request the transfer of relevant cases to expand those investigations or direct public or military prosecutors to continue handling them under their supervision.

The bills calling for independent investigations into Yoon's martial law decree and criminal allegations involving his wife both passed by a vote of 194 to 3.

Dozens of retired marines, dressed in red shirts, saluted and cheered from an observation box after lawmakers passed the bill for a special prosecutor investigation into the marine's death, which also passed 194 to 3.

Martial law lasted only a few hours after a quorum of lawmakers pushed past a blockade of hundreds of heavily armed soldiers and voted to revoke the measure. Yoon defended the move as a necessary act of governance, accusing the Democrats, whom he labeled ''anti-state forces,'' of abusing their majority to obstruct his agenda and paralyze state affairs.

That same majority now gives Lee a far more favorable path to advance his agenda, though conservatives claim it could grant him virtually unchecked power and allow him to pass laws that shield him from legal trouble.

Yoon's wife, Kim Keon Hee, also faces multiple corruption allegations, including claims that she received luxury items from a Unification Church official seeking business favors, as well as possible involvement in a stock price manipulation scheme. She also is suspected of interfering with PPP's candidate nominations ahead of legislative elections in April last year.

While in office, Yoon repeatedly dismissed calls to investigate his wife, denouncing them as baseless political attacks.