5 opposition parties petition to impeach South Korean acting President Choi Sang-mok

Yonhap reported today, March 21, that five opposition parties have submitted a petition to impeach acting President of South Korea Choi Sang-mok.

Lawmakers from the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) and four minor parties submitted a motion to impeach Acting President Choi Sang-mok to the National Assembly at 2 p.m. today, March 21 (Korean time) for his failure to appoint a ninth judge to the Constitutional Court.

Acting South Korean President Choi Sang-mok speaks at an event in Seoul on March 1.

"Although the Constitutional Court judges made a unanimous ruling, Choi has yet to comply with the ruling, even though three weeks have passed," Kim Yong-min, deputy policy chief of the DP, told reporters.

In late December 2024, Mr. Choi appointed two judges to the Constitutional Court but postponed the appointment of judge candidate Ma Eun-hyuk, nominated by the opposition, citing the need for bipartisan consensus.

The DP has strongly criticized Mr. Choi, noting the Constitutional Court's ruling that Mr. Choi's failure to appoint the candidate was an "unconstitutional" act that infringed on the rights of the National Assembly.

The parties cited four other reasons for impeachment, including allegations that Mr. Choi was involved in President Yoon Suk Yeol's declaration of martial law on December 3, 2024, and the failure to appoint Supreme Court judge candidate Ma Yong-ju.

By law, an impeachment motion must be put to a vote within 24 to 72 hours of being reported to the plenary session of parliament.

If South Korean National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik, who holds the power to open a plenary session, fails to convene a session before the deadline, the impeachment motion could be dropped.

The opposition made the move as the Constitutional Court is expected to issue a ruling on March 24 on the impeachment of Prime Minister Han Duck-soo on charges related to Mr. Yoon's declaration of martial law.

A decision on Yoon’s impeachment has not yet been set. The approval of at least six justices is needed to uphold Yoon’s impeachment, and the impeached president’s political fate rests in the hands of the nine-member Constitutional Court, which currently has eight members.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/5-dang-doi-lap-kien-nghi-luan-toi-quyen-tong-thong-han-quoc-choi-sang-mok-185250321105708934.htm