Joo Ho-young: "Ministry of Justice Personnel Announced Without Presidential Approval... Not Even Following Basic Constitution"

Yoo Young-min "Electronic approval was done after announcement"
Opposition "Violation of Article 82 of the Constitution"

Joo Ho-young, floor leader of the People Power Party, is attending the Emergency Response Committee meeting held at the National Assembly on the 25th and delivering a speech. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunju Lee] Joo Ho-young, floor leader of the People Power Party, stated at the emergency committee meeting held on the 25th, "The 'total bypass' incident, where the Ministry of Justice's senior prosecutor personnel appointments were announced without the president's approval, has been publicly admitted," adding, "It is shocking that the Blue House is not even adhering to the basics of the Constitution."

Joo said, "During the National Assembly Steering Committee's briefing on the Blue House's work yesterday, I discovered a shocking fact," and explained, "According to the Constitution, all presidential acts under national law must be documented and go through the Prime Minister and relevant ministers, but according to Yoo Young-min, Chief of Staff to the President, the Ministry of Justice's senior prosecutor personnel appointments were announced without the president's approval."

The day before, Chief of Staff Yoo responded to a question from Jeong Jeom-sik, a People Power Party lawmaker, who asked, "There is talk that the president gave retroactive approval for the prosecution personnel appointments on the 8th, the day after the announcement," by saying, "(The approval) was given before the announcement," and added, "Electronic approval usually takes place after the announcement." Article 82 of the Constitution stipulates that "Presidential acts under national law shall be made in writing."

In response, Floor Leader Joo said, "It was confessed that other personnel appointments were handled this way as well," and criticized, "The Blue House, which has numerous aides with legal backgrounds, is not even following the basics of the Constitution," urging, "The Blue House must conduct a thorough review, investigate in detail what has happened so far and why, take responsibility, and report to the public."