Minbyun: "There Is No Substance to Han Duck-soo's Claim of 'Bipartisan Agreement'"

Minbyun Criticizes "Han as Acting Authority, Delaying Acts Dependent on Insurrection"

Acting President and Prime Minister Han Duck-soo is delivering an emergency national address on the 26th at the Government Seoul Office in Jongno-gu, Seoul. Photo by Government Office Press Photographers Group

The Lawyers for a Democratic Society (Minbyun) strongly criticized the acting authority who postponed the appointment of the three Constitutional Court justice candidates (Ma Eun-hyeok, Jeong Gye-seon, Jo Han-chang), questioning, "What is the substance of the 'ruling and opposition party agreement' mentioned in the statement?"

In a statement on the 27th, Minbyun said, "Article 111, Paragraph 3 of the Constitution imposes a constitutional duty on the President to appoint Constitutional Court justices," adding, "The statement by Acting Prime Minister Han Deok-su disregards this constitutional duty and the responsibility to resolve the national turmoil."

They further stated, "This act leads to another phase of 'impeachment of the acting president,' delaying the swift resolution of the internal conflict and constituting a rebellion against democracy." Minbyun said, "Through this statement, he has shown the citizens that he lacks the ability and qualifications as acting president and has abandoned his duty as a protector of the Constitution."

Minbyun also said, "Since the opposition party, which is the majority party, proceeded without a ruling and opposition party agreement, the statement to postpone the appointment of Constitutional Court justices is the same as President Yoon Seok-yeol's absurd claim that 'the emergency martial law was a warning to the majority party that is destroying the National Assembly.'"

Minbyun questioned, "When the Yoon Seok-yeol administration forcibly appointed the majority of cabinet members without adopting a personnel hearing report based on a ruling and opposition party agreement, did the acting authority ever raise an objection on the grounds that it was not a democratic procedure involving ruling and opposition party agreement?" and criticized it as a "baseless claim."

Earlier, on the afternoon of the 26th, Acting Prime Minister Han made an urgent public statement at the Government Seoul Office, saying, "If the ruling and opposition parties agree and submit a proposal, I will immediately appoint the Constitutional Court justices." He expressed doubt about whether making a 'political decision' without political agreement between the ruling and opposition parties aligns with the constitutional order, stating, "I cannot agree to make a conclusion without properly addressing these concerns."

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