Constitutional Court Justice Hearing Held Solely by Opposition... Will a 9-Member System Be Established?

Opposition Party Mentions Impeachment of Acting Prime Minister Han Deok-su
"Failure to Appoint Constitutional Court Justice Constitutes Grounds for Impeachment"
Ruling Party Plans to File Jurisdiction Dispute if Appointment Passes

A confirmation hearing to decide whether the Constitutional Court will operate with nine members was held. The ruling party did not attend the confirmation hearing process, arguing that Han Deok-su, the Acting President and Prime Minister, does not have the authority to appoint Constitutional Court justices. The opposition party emphasized the need to complete the nine-member structure of the Constitutional Court while pressuring the Acting President through impeachment.

On the 18th, Chairman Park Ji-won is speaking at the Special Personnel Hearing Committee on the Election of Constitutional Court Justices held at the National Assembly. Ruling party lawmakers were absent from this meeting. Photo by Kim Hyun-min

The National Assembly's Special Committee on Personnel Hearings (Personnel Hearing Special Committee) conducted a confirmation hearing on the morning of the 23rd at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, for candidates Jeong Gye-seon (55, 27th Judicial Research and Training Institute class) and Ma Eun-hyeok (61, 29th class) for Constitutional Court justice. The following day, a confirmation hearing will be held for candidate Jo Han-chang (59, 18th class), recommended by the People Power Party. The hearing on this day was conducted solely by the opposition party as the ruling party did not attend.

The opposition strongly criticized the ruling party for not attending the confirmation hearing. Kim Han-gyu, a member of the Democratic Party and the opposition party's secretary of the Personnel Hearing Special Committee, stated at the hearing, "It is very regrettable that a member of the Personnel Hearing Special Committee from the People Power Party did not attend the confirmation hearing. On the 3rd of this month, before President Yoon's illegal emergency martial law, the Democratic Party had already agreed to recommend two candidates and the People Power Party one candidate for Constitutional Court justice, which is unrelated to the impeachment motion against the president." He added, "The justices recommended by the National Assembly do not only adjudicate the impeachment trial of President Yoon," emphasizing, "The National Assembly should not delay recommending Constitutional Court justices for political convenience."

The opposition insists on forming a nine-member Constitutional Court, even mentioning impeachment against Acting President Han. This is interpreted as an effort to legitimize the impeachment trial result against President Yoon. Kim said on SBS Radio's Kim Tae-hyun's Political Show, "As soon as the recommendation process for Constitutional Court justices ends on the 26th or 27th, we must demand that Acting President Han make the appointments. If he refuses, it would constitute a more serious impeachment reason than the special prosecution law related to the internal rebellion and Mrs. Kim Geon-hee."

On the other hand, the ruling party plans to seek a legal judgment, arguing that Acting President Han does not have the authority to appoint Constitutional Court justices. Kwon Seong-dong, Acting Leader and Floor Leader of the People Power Party, stated at a press briefing the day before that they would file a jurisdictional dispute immediately after the appointment consent bill for Constitutional Court justices passes the National Assembly. Kwon emphasized, "The Democratic Party has had the opportunity to appoint Constitutional Court justices for over two months, but now suddenly wants to handle President Yoon's impeachment first, which clearly reveals their ulterior motives."

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