South Korea's Opposition Parties Move to Impeach Acting President Choi
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Synopsis
On March 21, five opposition parties in South Korea introduced a motion to impeach Acting President Choi Sang-mok due to his inaction on appointing a ninth justice to the Constitutional Court, citing various constitutional violations.
Key Takeaways
- Five opposition parties have united to impeach Acting President Choi Sang-mok.
- The impeachment is over his failure to appoint a ninth justice at the Constitutional Court.
- Choi's actions have been labeled as unconstitutional.
- The motion must be voted on within a specific timeframe by law.
- A ruling on Prime Minister Han Duck-soo’s impeachment is imminent.
Seoul, March 21 (NationPress) A coalition of five opposition parties in South Korea has put forth a motion to impeach Acting President Choi Sang-mok on Friday due to his failure to appoint a ninth justice at the Constitutional Court. Lawmakers representing the primary opposition party, the Democratic Party (DP), alongside four smaller factions, presented the impeachment motion at the National Assembly at 2 p.m.
Kim Yong-min, the DP's deputy floor leader for policy, expressed to reporters, "Despite a unanimous ruling from the justices of the Constitutional Court, (Choi) has yet to comply with the ruling, even after three weeks have elapsed."
In December, Choi appointed two justices but postponed the selection of the opposition-backed candidate, Ma Eun-hyuk, citing the necessity for a bipartisan agreement.
The DP has vocally condemned Choi, highlighting that the Constitutional Court deemed Choi's inaction as an unconstitutional move that violates the authority of the National Assembly, according to reports from Yonhap news agency.
The parties also outlined four additional reasons for the impeachment, which include Choi's suspected involvement in President Yoon Suk Yeol’s attempt to declare martial law on December 3 and the unfulfilled appointment of Supreme Court judge nominee Ma Yong-ju.
By legal standards, the impeachment motion is required to be voted on within 24 to 72 hours after being presented in a plenary session.
If National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik, who has the responsibility to convene plenary sessions, does not arrange one before the stipulated deadline, the motion may be invalidated.
This action from the opposition coincides with the upcoming ruling by the Constitutional Court regarding the impeachment of Prime Minister Han Duck-soo over allegations related to martial law, expected to be delivered next Monday. Currently, no date has been established for a ruling on the impeachment of Yoon.
A minimum of six justices must consent to uphold Yoon's impeachment, with the suspended President's future resting in the hands of the nine-member court, which presently operates with an eight-member bench.
