The Constitutional Court is demanding the dismissal of six of the nine Justices, but three seats are still vacant.
advertisementThe main opposition party on Thursday submitted a motion to impeach Prime Minister and Acting President Han Deok-soo for failing to fill three vacancies at the Constitutional Court.
The appointment is critical as the court prepares to consider insurrection charges against President Yoon Seok-yeol, who was impeached following a brief martial law on Dec. 3.
The dispute over court appointments has deepened political paralysis in the country, halting high-level diplomacy and destabilizing financial markets.
The opposition-controlled National Assembly also passed a motion calling for the appointment of three Supreme Court justices.
In response to this, Prime Minister Han repeatedly emphasized through a broadcast statement that he would not make an appointment without bipartisan consent.
National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-sik criticized Rep. Han’s refusal, saying, “It infringes on the National Assembly’s right to elect judges to the Constitutional Court.”
The conservative People Power Party, led by Rep. Yoon, who boycotted most of the vote, argued that a lawmaker should not exercise presidential authority to appoint a Supreme Court justice while Rep. Yoon is officially in office.
The Democratic Party has accused conservatives of delaying court proceedings to save Yoon’s position.
Park Chan-dae, floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, criticized Rep. Han for not having the qualifications to act as an acting representative and lacking the will to protect the Constitution.
A floor vote on the Grand National Party’s impeachment could take place as early as Friday.
‘Focus on maintaining stability’
Prosecutor General Yoon’s authority was suspended on December 14 following the National Assembly’s vote to impeach him for his attempt to seize power.
The Constitutional Court, which is currently short of three judges, is asking six out of nine members to uphold the impeachment bill in order to officially end Representative Yoon’s term as president.
One lawmaker defended his position, saying, “The acting president should focus on maintaining national stability to overcome the national crisis while refraining from exercising important authority, such as appointing constitutional bodies.”
One lawmaker added, “We will postpone the appointment of judges to the Constitutional Court until the ruling and opposition parties submit an agreed upon plan.”
In addition to the court standoff, Mr. Han is also facing backlash from the opposition party for his veto of the agricultural bill, refusal to approve the investigation into Mr. Yoon, and allegations of corruption related to Mr. Yoon’s wife, Kim Geon-hee.
advertisementIf impeached, Deputy Prime Minister Choi Sang-mok will assume Prime Minister Han’s duties.
The legal standards for impeaching an acting president remain ambiguous. Most public officials can be impeached by a simple majority vote in Congress, but a two-thirds vote is required to remove a president.
The Democratic Party, which holds 170 of 300 seats, needs additional support from other parties to reach a majority.
Meanwhile, Rep. Yoon evaded law enforcement summonses on charges of insurrection, including the Christmas demand, and blocked a search and seizure of his office.
advertisementThe High-ranking Public Official Corruption Investigation Office summoned and investigated former Vice Chairman Yoon yesterday on charges of abuse of power and rebellion.
Authorities have already arrested several high-ranking officials, including Minister Yoon and the police chief, involved in attempts to impose martial law.
Yoon’s lawyer Yoo Seung-soo defended his client’s actions, saying martial law was meant to be a “warning against political abuse” and did not constitute an insurrection.
additional sources • AP
