The presidential office believes that opposition-led special investigation proposals, including one into allegations involving first lady Kim Keon Hee, are designed to leave a "scratch" on the Yoon Suk Yeol administration ahead of the general elections, a senior official said Sunday.
Lee Kwan-sup, director of national policy at the presidential office, made the remark during his appearance on KBS TV, as the main opposition Democratic Party plans to pass the two investigation proposals through the National Assembly during a plenary meeting set for Thursday.
One of the proposed investigations is to look into stock manipulation allegations involving the first lady, while the other is about bribery suspicions surrounding a development project in the Daejangdong district in Seongnam, south of Seoul.
"We firmly believe that these bills are designed to leave a scratch ahead of the general elections," Lee said. "We will think about how to deal with them if the bills are actually passed on Dec. 28 and transferred to the government."
The ruling People Power Party has opposed the bills, but the DP can pass them on its own as it holds a controlling majority in the Assembly.
Yoon can exercise his veto power against the proposals, though it would run the risk of backlash ahead of April's general elections. (Yonhap)
