South Korea Opposition Demands Lee Veto ‘Jailbreak Bill’
(MENAFN) South Korea’s main opposition People Power Party (PPP) called on President Lee Jae Myung on Tuesday to veto a bill that would launch a special counsel probe into claims that indictments against him and other political figures were fabricated.
PPP lawmakers rallied outside the presidential office in Seoul and accused the ruling Democratic Party of trying to shield the president from prosecution, a South Korean news agency reported.
“The special counsel bill marks the final step in a project to free Lee Jae Myung from prison,” said PPP leader Jang Dong-hyeok. He branded the measure a “jailbreak bill” and demanded that Lee’s suspended criminal trials be resumed.
The legislation targets allegations that prosecutors serving under former President Yoon Suk Yeol manufactured evidence or coerced witnesses into giving false testimony against Lee and others.
Lee’s court cases have been frozen since he took office in June 2025, under constitutional protections that shield a sitting president from criminal prosecution, with exceptions for insurrection and treason. He faces charges tied to development scandals, alleged illegal remittances to North Korea and misuse of public funds.
The PPP has already held demonstrations against the bill and plans more rallies nationwide, starting Saturday in Busan.
The Democratic Party denied the accusations, saying that provisions letting the special counsel withdraw indictments were stripped from the final version of the bill.
PPP lawmakers rallied outside the presidential office in Seoul and accused the ruling Democratic Party of trying to shield the president from prosecution, a South Korean news agency reported.
“The special counsel bill marks the final step in a project to free Lee Jae Myung from prison,” said PPP leader Jang Dong-hyeok. He branded the measure a “jailbreak bill” and demanded that Lee’s suspended criminal trials be resumed.
The legislation targets allegations that prosecutors serving under former President Yoon Suk Yeol manufactured evidence or coerced witnesses into giving false testimony against Lee and others.
Lee’s court cases have been frozen since he took office in June 2025, under constitutional protections that shield a sitting president from criminal prosecution, with exceptions for insurrection and treason. He faces charges tied to development scandals, alleged illegal remittances to North Korea and misuse of public funds.
The PPP has already held demonstrations against the bill and plans more rallies nationwide, starting Saturday in Busan.
The Democratic Party denied the accusations, saying that provisions letting the special counsel withdraw indictments were stripped from the final version of the bill.
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