President Yoon Suk Yeol on Tuesday vetoed a bill mandating a special counsel investigation into multiple allegations against first lady Kim Keon Hee, including her alleged meddling in past elections, with the legislation marking the third of its kind.

Tuesday’s approval comes 12 days after the National Assembly passed the bill on Nov. 14, in a vote boycotted by the ruling People Power Party.

Yoon has already vetoed two similar special counsel bills passed in December 2023 and September, which were then scrapped in separate revotes. Yoon is legally obligated to either sign or veto the latest version of the legislation by Nov. 29, which falls within 15 days of the bill's passage.

The latest bill expands the scope of the proposed special counsel investigation to include accusations that the first lady requested Myung Tae-kyun, a self-proclaimed political broker, to conduct public opinion surveys that would favor her husband ahead of the 2022 presidential election.

Added to the list of accusations are the first lady's alleged interference in the ruling party's candidate nomination process for the 2022 by-election and this year's April 10 general election, and claims that she inappropriately meddled in state affairs through her aides in the presidential office.

Allegations that have remained since the first version of the bill are: her alleged involvement in a stock manipulation scheme and alleged acceptance of a luxury bag from a Korean American pastor.

A key change in the updated bill is that it calls for the Supreme Court chief justice to recommend four candidates for the special counsel position. The main opposition Democratic Party of Korea and the minor opposition Rebuilding Korea Party are each allowed to pick one from the list of candidates with Yoon choosing one of the two in the final round. However, a clause allows the opposition to continue requesting new recommendations from the chief justice if they deem the candidates unfit.

The Ministry of Justice released a statement around noon denouncing the clause and pointing out that it gives the opposition the power to “pick the special counsel they want.”

Rival parties agreed to put the bill to a revote on Dec. 10. The Democratic Party said it would float a fourth bill if the third bill is scrapped.

Observers said that the main opposition leader's recent acquittal in a subornation of perjury case could fuel the Democratic Party's plan to railroad more contentious bills targeting first lady.

The third special counsel bill marks the 25th bill to be vetoed by Yoon since he took office in May 2022. Only one of the 25 vetoed bills -- a special bill mandating a new investigation into the 2022 Itaewon tragedy that claimed 159 lives -- was later revised under bipartisan agreement before being passed into law through a plenary vote in May. The previous version of the bill was vetoed by Yoon in January and scrapped.