Confirmation Hearings for Constitutional Court Justice Nominees Commence in South Korea's National Assembly
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Seoul, Dec 23 (NationPress) The National Assembly of South Korea has commenced a two-day hearing process starting Monday for three nominees for the Constitutional Court, set to review President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment trial.
The purpose of these parliamentary hearings is to fill the vacancies on the nine-member court, which currently has six justices in place. According to the law, a minimum of six votes is required to support an impeachment motion.
The main opposition party, the Democratic Party (DP), conducted hearings earlier in the day for nominees Ma Eun-hyuk and Jeong Gye-seon, both of whom were put forward by the opposition, without participation from lawmakers belonging to the ruling People Power Party (PPP).
Throughout the hearings, both nominees expressed their commitment to maintaining the constitutional order.
Ma shared his history of opposing military rule and affirmed his dedication to upholding constitutional principles. He reflected on the oppressive atmosphere he faced upon entering university in 1981, stating that he collaborated with fellow students, friends, and citizens to contribute, albeit modestly, to the efforts of ending the military dictatorship and restoring democracy.
He also indicated that “a candidate's ideological inclination” does not necessarily have a decisive impact on the outcome of an impeachment trial.
Jeong stated her intention to “make utmost efforts to chart a path forward for society, protect fundamental rights, and uphold constitutional order” if she is granted the opportunity to serve as a justice of the Constitutional Court.
The third nominee, Cho Han-chang, who was recommended by the ruling party, is scheduled for a hearing on Tuesday.
There is uncertainty regarding whether acting President Han Duck-soo will move forward with the formal appointments of the three nominees, as reported by the Yonhap news agency.
The PPP has contended that Han lacks the presidential authority to execute the appointments and has pledged to file a lawsuit with the Constitutional Court to seek an injunction should he proceed.
Conversely, the DP has urged Han to expedite the appointment process, asserting that formalizing the nominations approved by the National Assembly is merely a procedural formality.
The DP plans to finalize the confirmation hearing reports on Tuesday and present them for a plenary vote later this week.
