Choo Mi-ae "Meeting with Kim Moo-sung was decisive for Park's impeachment... Do not bring up pardon"

Former Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae. [Photo by Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jumi Lee] Former Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae claimed that her meeting with former Saenuri Party (now People Power Party) leader Kim Moo-sung, who was criticized as colluding during the impeachment phase of former President Park Geun-hye, was a "decisive moment in pushing for impeachment."

On the 29th, Choo referred to Kim's interview revealing the impeachment backstory, in which he confessed that former President Park and her close aides actually ordered a review of martial law, through her Facebook post.

In a post titled "The Decisive Moment in Pushing for Impeachment ? The Story Behind the Strategy to Persuade the Non-Park Faction to Join the Impeachment," Choo explained the situation during her solo meeting with Kim, saying, "'Criminal X, Administrative O' should now become 'No Pardon, Fact-Finding O.'

She recalled that when the three opposition parties drafted the impeachment motion, "The biggest issue was whether some members within the Saenuri Party could be persuaded to join the impeachment for the passage of the impeachment motion in the National Assembly."

She continued, "Early one morning before the impeachment proposal, I met with Kim, the leader of the non-Park faction, and persuaded him by presenting the so-called 'administrative responsibility theory' as grounds for early impeachment," adding, "Unlike criminal responsibility, impeachment trials ask for 'administrative responsibility,' which means accountability for one's attitude toward the Constitution, so an early conclusion on impeachment could be reached."

She added, "(Kim) listened carefully to the administrative responsibility theory and wrote a note saying 'Criminal X, Administrative O,'" and "I believe that at that time, Kim also accepted public sentiment and understood that there was no other way but impeachment to restore democratic constitutional order."

Former Saenuri Party (now People Power Party) leader Kim Moo-sung. [Image source=Yonhap News]

Choo said, "I think this meeting was a decisive moment in pushing for impeachment," citing that the non-Park faction voted in favor of impeachment, contrary to the Saenuri Party's official stance.

She recalled, "At the time, the meeting with Kim was heavily criticized as 'collusion,'" and "The note 'Criminal X' written by Kim was attacked with the speculation that it meant not holding former President Park criminally responsible."

She emphasized, "However, it was a courageous meeting by political leaders facing the era and historical fate, and I believe it was a decisive moment that changed the course of history."

Choo warned, "I hope that the People Power Party will no longer deny the impeachment achieved by the candlelight citizens or bring up immature pardon theories," adding, "The more that happens, the more hidden backstories from that time will come to light one by one."

Previously, in December 2016, controversy arose over the phrase "Administrative Responsibility (Criminal X)" written on a paper Kim presented after his solo meeting with Choo. It was speculated that it meant former President Park had only 'administrative responsibility' but no criminal responsibility (Criminal X). Administrative responsibility refers to accountability for a wrongful attitude toward the law and is usually used as grounds for enhanced punishment of habitual offenders.

At the time, Choo explained, "The impeachment trial is a system that dismisses the president when it is judged that he or she is unfit to uphold the constitutional order if the president does not resign. Unlike the purpose of criminal procedure law, it is a system related to dismissal concerning status (asking for administrative responsibility). Therefore, I informed that a speedy trial to correct the constitutional order should be prioritized (at the Constitutional Court)," adding, "It is nonsense to say that (former President Park) has no criminal responsibility."

Meanwhile, in an interview with a media outlet on the 26th, former leader Kim revealed, "Former President Park chose impeachment, but at the time, they expected the Constitutional Court to dismiss it. Everyone in the Blue House, including former Chief of Staff Kim Ki-chun, thought it would be 100% dismissed," and said, "If it was dismissed, wouldn't Gwanghwamun Square and others explode? So they even ordered the commander of the Defense Security Command to review martial law."

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