Seoul: President Lee Jae-myung has appointed three independent counsels to investigate former President Yoon Suk Yeol's brief imposition of martial law, corruption allegations involving his wife, and the death of a Marine. This announcement was made by the ruling Democratic Party on Friday.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the presidential office informed the Democratic Party of these appointments on Thursday night, following the party's submission of recommendations. Cho Eun-suk, former acting chief of the Board of Audit and Inspection, will lead the investigation into charges against Yoon, which include insurrection and military mutiny related to the December martial law incident.

Min Joong-ki, former chief of the Seoul Central District Court, has been appointed to investigate allegations against former first lady Kim Keon Hee. These allegations encompass stock price manipulation, receipt of a luxury bag, and interference with the election nomination process.

Lee Myeong-hyeon, a former senior official at the Defense Ministry's prosecutors' office, will investigate the circumstances surrounding the death of a Marine, identified by the surname Chae, in July 2023. Chae died while on a mission to search for victims of torrential rains.

The appointments of Cho and Min were recommended by the ruling party, while Lee was suggested by the Rebuilding Korea Party. The swift appointment of these counsels, shortly after receiving party recommendations, suggests that the investigation teams may be quickly assembled.

The independent counsels have up to 20 days to prepare for their investigations, with full-scale inquiries slated to start early next month. A total of 120 prosecutors are expected to be assigned to the three investigation teams, including 60 focused on Yoon's martial law case and 40 dedicated to probing the first lady's alleged scandals.