This year’s annual National Assembly audit kicked off Monday with the rival parties locking horns over a slew of legal risks surrounding Democratic Party of Korea Chair Rep. Lee Jae-myung and multiple allegations against first lady Kim Keon Hee, including her interference in the April 10 general election.
Seventeen parliamentary standing committees will audit a total of 802 government institutions over 26 days. Ten of the 17 standing committees were scheduled to hold hearings Monday, including the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, the Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee and the Public Administration and Security Committee. 
The Democratic Party vowed to get to the bottom of allegations against the first lady, including “meddling in state affairs.” The main opposition, which holds a clear majority of the 300-seat Assembly, recently pushed through a bill that mandates a special counsel investigation into the first lady and put it to a vote during a parliamentary plenary session for the second time. The bill seeking to look into Kim’s alleged involvement in a stock manipulation scheme involving Deutsch Motors, a BMW car dealer in Korea, which dates back to 2009 and 2012, alongside other allegations including illegally interfering in the April general election and a more detailed probe into her receiving a luxury bag from a Korean American pastor in September 2022, was scrapped on Friday after failing to get the two-thirds of Assembly votes required to override President Yoon Suk Yeol’s veto.
As the main opposition plans to reintroduce the special counsel investigation bill next month, Democratic Party Floor Leader Rep. Park Chan-dae vowed to “follow through” with getting to the bottom of the allegations “until the end” through the latest round of audits, in a morning party leadership meeting.
“All (Democratic Party) lawmakers who are part of all standing committees will follow through with the allegations against first lady Kim Keon Hee, including her meddling in state affairs, and pursue until the end to resolve suspicions that the people hold,” Park said.
During Monday’s audit by the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, ruling People Power Party Rep. Jang Dong-hyeok pointed out that the court battle regarding the main opposition leader’s election law violation charges has become prolonged, compared to other similar cases. The court’s verdict on Lee’s election law violation charges is expected on Nov. 25,
Besides election law violation charges, prosecutors earlier this year charged Lee with third-party bribery and violation of the Foreign Exchange Transactions Act and Inter-Korean Exchange and Cooperation Act tied to his alleged involvement in unauthorized remittance to North Korea. Lee is also dealing with other ongoing court cases involving development project-related bribery and perjury.
In a separate Monday audit held by the opposition-controlled Public Administration and Security Committee, the main opposition members of the committee officially subpoenaed witnesses involved in allegations that the first lady hired acquaintances for illegal construction at the presidential residence in Hannam-dong, Seoul.
Lawmakers of the ruling party left the audit in protest.
