Kwon Eun-hee: "Why Are Na Kyung-won and Oh Se-hoon Blaming Kim Myeong-su's Mistakes on Ahn Cheol-soo?"

Controversy Over Ahn Cheol-soo's Responsibility During the Confirmation of Chief Justice Kim Myung-soo

[Asia Economy Reporter Naju-seok] Fierce debates are unfolding within the opposition regarding the role of Ahn Cheol-soo, leader of the People’s Party, at the time of the National Assembly’s approval of Chief Justice Kim Myung-soo’s appointment. Na Kyung-won, former member of the People Power Party and a candidate for the opposition’s Seoul mayoral nomination, and Oh Se-hoon, former mayor of Seoul, who are competing for the opposition’s Seoul mayoral candidacy, have raised Ahn’s responsibility, prompting the People’s Party to respond with counterarguments, leading to a battle of wills.

Kwon Eun-hee, Floor Leader of the People Party [Photo by Yonhap News]

On the 8th, Kwon Eun-hee, floor leader of the People’s Party, criticized, "(Former member) Na and (former mayor) Oh seem to be trying to pin Chief Justice Kim Myung-soo’s faults on candidate Ahn."

Earlier, former member Na pointed out in a phone interview on YTN Radio’s 'Hwang Bo-seon’s Start New Morning' that "The decisive role in the approval of Chief Justice Kim’s appointment was played by Ahn’s People’s Party."

Former mayor Oh also stated via social media, "It is clear that the decisive role in the birth of Chief Justice Kim Myung-soo was undoubtedly candidate Ahn," adding, "Now, candidate Ahn says that Chief Justice Kim has no will to uphold the constitutional values of judicial independence and trial independence. He is siding with the ruling and opposition parties according to his own interests." He also criticized Ahn, saying, "After the launch of Chief Justice Kim’s administration, shouldn’t he express some reflection based on responsibility while watching the shaken courts and the collapsing independence of the judiciary?"

Regarding these attacks from the People Power Party’s Seoul mayoral candidates, floor leader Kwon stated, "Chief Justice Kim’s failure to protect judicial independence is due to his own qualifications and the Moon Jae-in administration’s taming of the judiciary, not because candidate Ahn was the leader of the People’s Party at the time of Kim’s appointment," adding, "People’s Party lawmakers, centered on floor leader Kim Dong-chul and members of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee who participated in the confirmation hearing, discussed and debated expectations and concerns and conducted a secret free vote."

She continued, "According to the logic of candidates Na Kyung-won and Oh Se-hoon, citizens who supported the Democratic Party and President Moon Jae-in in the last general and presidential elections bear responsibility for the results, so they should not support the opposition in this by-election," and requested, "We ask that all those supporting the opposition in this by-election be treated with respect."

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