By Divine Sam
South Korea’s opposition party, the Democratic Party, has announced plans to impeach acting President Han Duck-soo if he does not immediately appoint three justices to the Constitutional Court.
This comes after parliament approved the nominees, but Han has yet to formalize their appointments. Han, who is also the Prime Minister, stated that he would not make the appointments without political consensus, fearing it could undermine the constitutional order.
The opposition argues that Han lacks the qualifications and intent to uphold the Constitution, further escalating tensions in the political landscape.
The Constitutional Court is currently handling the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol, who faces charges related to his declaration of martial law on December 3.
The court’s decision on whether to remove or reinstate Yoon depends on the unanimous vote of the current justices. However, some legal experts and lawmakers disagree on whether Han has the authority to make judicial appointments as acting president.
If Han were to be impeached, the finance minister would step in as acting president. The Democratic Party holds a majority in parliament, but there is uncertainty over whether a simple majority or a two-thirds vote would be needed to impeach him.
This dispute is further complicated by Yoon’s refusal to submit the required legal documents for his impeachment trial, fueling opposition calls for his arrest.
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