Rival parties agree to pass special counsel bill to investigate ballot shortages

Rival political parties agreed Tuesday to pass a special counsel bill to look into ballot shortages reported during the June 3 elections within this month.

The agreement was reached during a meeting between ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) floor leader Han Byung-do and his main opposition People Power Party (PPP) counterpart, Jeong Jeom-sig.

Under the agreement, a six-member committee will be formed to recommend candidates for a special counsel, with three members recommended by each party.

The committee will receive three special counsel nominees each from the Korean Bar Association and the Association of Korean Law Schools, after which it will select two candidates through bipartisan agreement and recommend them to the president.

The president will then appoint one of the two candidates as the special counsel.

The rival parties are expected to each hold a general meeting of their respective lawmakers to seek approval for the agreement before moving forward with the bill.

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Jeong described the deal as a "tentative agreement," noting that it still requires approval from lawmakers ...