Won Hee-ryong: "The top impeachment target is Lee Jae-myung... The first priority is Moon Hyung-bae"

Former Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Won Hee-ryong claimed that "Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is the top priority for impeachment, and Moon Hyung-bae, acting Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court, is the first priority." On the 13th, Won criticized the Constitutional Court and Acting Chief Justice Moon on his social media, saying, "The Constitutional Court is stalling without issuing an impeachment ruling against President Yoon Seok-yeol."

Former Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Won Hee-ryong. Photo by Jo Yong-jun

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Won stated, "Today, there is a ruling on the impeachment cases of the head of the Board of Audit and Inspection and three prosecutors, but the impeachment trial of Acting President Han Duck-soo was excluded," adding, "Even though the quorum for impeaching Acting President Han Duck-soo is not met, the Constitutional Court spokesperson, who legally has no authority, announced that the impeachment was validly carried out, overstepping their authority."

He said, "Acting Chief Justice Moon said he would decide on the president's impeachment first before all other cases, but without any explanation, he scheduled rulings on the impeachment of the head of the Board of Audit and Inspection and prosecutors. It seems he is stalling because things are not going as intended," and questioned, "Is he wavering on his own, or is he colluding with the Democratic Party and the Uri Law Research Association to shake things up?"

He continued, "If we rank the order of impeachment in South Korea, Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party, is the top priority, and Acting Chief Justice Moon Hyung-bae is the first priority," emphasizing, "The Constitutional Court should conduct a fair trial, not engage in politics."

On this day, the impeachment trials of Board of Audit and Inspection Chairman Choi Jae-hae, Seoul Central District Prosecutor Lee Chang-soo, Deputy Chief Prosecutor Jo Sang-won of the Central District Prosecutors' Office, and Chief of the Anti-Corruption Division 2 Choi Jae-hoon were unanimously dismissed by all justices.

Acting Chief Justice Moon Hyung-bae of the Constitutional Court, along with other justices, attended the final hearing of the impeachment trial of President Yoon Seok-yeol held on the 25th of last month at the Constitutional Court in Jongno-gu, Seoul. Photo by Joint Press Corps

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Initially, it was predicted that the Constitutional Court would issue a ruling on President Yoon Seok-yeol's impeachment trial this week, but as of the night of the 13th, the court had not announced the ruling date. Since the court usually notifies the parties 2 to 3 days before the ruling, it is expected to be delayed beyond this week. This will set a new record for the longest period from indictment to ruling among presidential impeachment trials in history.

Yoon's lawyer Yoon Gap-geun told reporters the previous day, "It is appropriate for the president's impeachment to be swiftly dismissed," adding, "I do not know the reason for the prolonged proceedings after the conclusion, but I find it regrettable." On the 11th, four-term lawmakers of the Democratic Party, including Jeong Cheong-rae, chairman of the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee and an impeachment prosecutor, called for "a prompt decision on Yoon Seok-yeol's impeachment."

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