On the 19th, Park Chan-dae, the floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, during the party’s policy meeting, stated that the refusal of a special counsel investigation into Kim Kun-hee could signal the downfall of the Yoon Seok-yeol administration. With President Yoon Seok-yeol expected to veto the special counsel bill regarding his wife, Park emphasized that the refusal of such an investigation was unprecedented among past presidents, highlighting its significance.
Park mentioned that there were expectations for a recommendation to exercise the veto during the Cabinet meeting held that day. He noted that if Yoon exercises this veto, it will be the 25th time since his inauguration. Furthermore, Park drew historical comparisons by stating that this would be the worst record since the dictator Syngman Rhee was ousted by the April 19 Revolution.
He criticized the arguments by President Yoon and Kim Kun-hee that claimed the special counsel was unconstitutional, likening them to past assertions made by Choi Soon-sil, which were dismissed by the Constitutional Court. Park reminded that Yoon, during the Park Geun-hye administration scandal, led the investigation team, underscoring the current contradiction.
Park concluded by stating that if the special counsel were unconstitutional, President Yoon could not have become a presidential candidate, nor would his administration exist. He pledged that the Democratic Party would continue to pursue the special counsel until it is realized, viewing it as the resolute demand of the sovereign people.