South Korea's National Assembly to Vote on Three Nominees for Constitutional Court Judges
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Seoul, Dec 26 (NationPress) The opposition-led National Assembly of South Korea is preparing to conduct a vote regarding the appointment of three nominees for the Constitutional Court during a parliamentary plenary session on Thursday.
It remains uncertain if acting President Han Duck-soo will endorse the final appointments of these three new judges. The principal opposition party, the Democratic Party (DP), has pledged to initiate impeachment proceedings against Han should the acting president reject their nominees, as reported by Yonhap news agency.
If confirmed, these three nominees will occupy vacancies on the court's nine-member panel, which currently includes six justices, who are tasked with deliberating the impeachment trial of President Yoon Suk Yeol. According to the law, a minimum of six votes is required to sustain an impeachment motion.
The DP previously moved forward with confirmation hearings for the nominees: Ma Eun-hyuk and Jeong Gye-seon, both nominated by the DP, alongside Cho Han-chang, who was recommended by the ruling People Power Party (PPP).
The DP and smaller opposition parties, collectively holding 192 seats in the 300-seat Assembly, are anticipated to unilaterally approve the appointment motions.
For a motion to appoint a Constitutional Court justice nominee to pass, a majority of the present lawmakers must be in attendance and a majority approval is required within the National Assembly.
The DP has urged Han to proceed with the appointments promptly if the motions receive approval in the plenary session, threatening to propose impeachment against Han should he refuse.
Conversely, the PPP has contended that Han does not possess the presidential authority to proceed with the appointments and has threatened to seek an injunction from the Constitutional Court if he does.
