"Like a King" Choo Surpasses 200,000 Impeachment Petition Signatures... How Will the Blue House Officially Respond?

Passed the Official Blue House Response Threshold
Last Month, Future United Party and People's Party Joint Impeachment Proposal Submitted
Rejected for Failing to Secure Majority Support from Total Members

Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae is responding to questions during the plenary session's interpellation at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on the afternoon of the 22nd of last month. / Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Juhyung] A Blue House petition calling for the impeachment of Justice Minister Chu Mi-ae has surpassed 200,000 signatures. The petitioner explained the background of the impeachment petition, stating that Minister Chu is abusing her power.

In the petition titled "Impeach Minister Chu Mi-ae," posted on July 14, the author claimed, "Please impeach Minister Chu. She disregards President Moon Jae-in's dignity and the entire nation, acting as if she were a king, saying that 'the chief prosecutors or the Prosecutor General are defying her.'"

The petitioner targeted Minister Chu, saying, "She is arrogant and disrespectful; no previous justice minister has been like this," and urged, "I petition for her impeachment on this occasion." As of today (the 14th), the petition has 219,068 supporters.

Meanwhile, a petition with the same intent was also posted on the 23rd of last month. That petition also exceeded 200,000 signatures. Accordingly, the Blue House is expected to respond to both the impeachment and dismissal petitions regarding Minister Chu.

However, considering the precedent when a petition calling for President Moon Jae-in's impeachment in February was answered with "It is difficult for the government to respond due to the principle of separation of powers," there is a view that a similar response might be given this time as well.

Since the initiation of an impeachment motion against the president or ministers is a matter decided by the legislative body, the National Assembly, it is interpreted that the executive branch, the Blue House, issuing a related response could violate the principle of separation of powers.

On the 14th of last month, a petition on the Blue House website demanding the impeachment of Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae surpassed the minimum threshold of 200,000 signatures required for an official response from the Blue House. / Photo by Blue House Petition Board Capture

Moreover, even if the National Assembly actually files an impeachment motion against Minister Chu, it is highly likely that it will not be approved in the plenary session.

According to Article 65, Paragraph 1 of the Constitution, the National Assembly may pass a resolution to impeach the president, prime minister, or state council members if they violate the Constitution or laws in the execution of their duties.

However, the filing of an impeachment motion against a minister requires the support of at least one-third of the total members, and its approval in the plenary session requires a majority of the total members.

The ruling party, the Democratic Party of Korea, currently holds 176 seats in the National Assembly, which is more than half of the total seats. Even if only Democratic Party members vote against it, the motion can be blocked.

In fact, the United Future Party and the People's Party jointly submitted an impeachment motion against Minister Chu on the 20th of last month, but it was rejected.

On that day, Joo Ho-young, floor leader of the United Future Party, explained the reasons for impeachment at an emergency committee meeting, saying, "Minister Chu violated the law by abusing various powers under the Prosecutors' Office Act and also damaged her dignity. She committed more violations and damaged dignity than any previous justice minister and undermined the independence of investigations."

The National Assembly held a plenary session at 2 p.m. on the 23rd of last month, three days after the submission of the impeachment motion, to vote on Minister Chu's impeachment motion. The vote resulted in 109 in favor, 179 against, and 4 abstentions out of 292 members present, and the motion was rejected.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.