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Rep. Park Jie-won, chairman of the special parliamentary committee on confirmation hearings on the election of constitutional judges, knocks on the gavel at the first plenary session to discuss the confirmation process for three Constitutional Court judge nominees at the National Assembly on Dec. 18, 2024./ Photographed by Lee Byung-hwa |
AsiaToday reporter Han Dae-eui
The main opposition Democratic Party (DP) held the first meeting of a special parliamentary committee Wednesday to discuss the matter of approving three nominees for the Constitutional Court. With the ruling People Power Party (PPP) skipping the meeting, the DP claimed that filling the three vacancies of the nine-member Constitutional Court is necessary to proceed with President Yoon Suk-yeol’s impeachment trial. It remains to be seen whether acting President Han Duk-soo would go ahead with formal appointments of the three nominees.
Initially, Rep. Jeong Jeom-sig of the ruling PPP was supposed to head the special committee, but the DP moved to assign the top post to Rep. Park Jie-won after ruling camp lawmakers boycotted the meeting.
The special committee plans to complete the Constitutional Court’s “nine-member system” by proceeding the appointment motion at the plenary session on Dec. 27 after the confirmation hearing for the three nominees are held by Dec.24. It plans to pass the appointment of the three judges before the first preparatory hearing for Yoon’s impeachment set for Dec. 27. DP’s floor leader Park Chan-dae said at the Supreme Council that he will push ahead with the appointment of a constitutional judges despite the absence of the ruling party. “The DP has no intention of being dragged into the People Power Party’s grassrolling,” he said. “We will proceed with the constitutional judges’ confirmation hearing process promptly, regardless of the ruling party’s absence.”
Acting President Han Duk-soo is said to be mulling over whether to appoint three judges. In addition, he has to decide on six issues including the Grain Management Act, which President Yoon exercised his veto right, the re-promotion of the Special Prosecutor Act for First Lady Kim Keon-hee, and the promotion of the Public Prosecutor Act for Insurrection.
Regarding the appointment of a constitutional judge, the PPP argued that the acting president does not have the authority to appoint judges of the Constitutional Court before the impeachment is upheld. “Regarding the acting president’s appointment of a constitutional judge, it is possible when the president is absent but not possible in case of an accident,” said PPP’s acting leader and floor leader Kwon Seong-dong.
In contrast, the DP argued that it is possible for an acting president to appoint judges. In particular, the DP says it can push to impeach Han if he vetoes the appointment of three constitutional judges.