Yeo Kwon-eunhee: "Han Dong-hoon is foolish and narrow-minded... Constitutional Court's 'wise and practical answer'"

"If the Enforcement Decree of the Inspection Uniform is Pushed Through, It Constitutes Grounds for Impeachment"

Rep. Kwon Eun-hee of the People Power Party criticized Minister of Justice Han Dong-hoon, who filed a constitutional dispute over the Constitutional Court's ruling upholding the 'Complete Removal of Prosecutorial Investigation Authority (Geomsu Wanbak) Law,' calling him "foolish and narrow-minded."

On the 27th, Rep. Kwon said on KBS's 'Choi Kyung-young's Strong Current Affairs,' "The Constitutional Court gave a wise response to Han Minister's foolish and narrow-minded claims. I see it as a wise answer to a foolish question."

Minister of Justice Han Dong-hoon is attending the Cabinet meeting held at the Government Seoul Office on the 28th. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

The ruling party claims that the Constitutional Court's decision is a 'political judgment.' Kim Ki-hyun, leader of the People Power Party, even said, "The constitutional justices are acting as henchmen of the Democratic Party of Korea." Regarding this, Rep. Kwon said, "It is quite wrong for the ruling party's leader to make such inappropriate remarks about the Constitutional Court's decision and to launch unfair attacks," emphasizing, "The Constitutional Court made a substantive and natural judgment that 'the prosecutor's investigative authority is not a constitutional right. The issue of investigation and prosecution is a matter of legislative policy and falls under the authority of the National Assembly."

He added, "Regarding the process decided by the National Assembly, although there was an infringement in the voting part of some members of the National Assembly at the agenda coordination committee, the bill was passed in the plenary session of the National Assembly based on the principle of majority rule, so it was ruled valid. The procedural defect was cured, so the law's effect is valid," and pointed out, "Attacking the Constitutional Court's decision, which has no problems in content or form and rather respects the principle of separation of powers, is an attack on our constitution."

Regarding the Democratic Party's calls for Minister Han's impeachment, he said, "(Minister Han) may be foolish and narrow-minded, but the fact that he made this claim in the form of a request for a constitutional dispute is not grounds for impeachment," adding, "A constitutional dispute request is a procedural right that one can exercise if they believe there is a reason to do so."

However, regarding the enforcement decree for 'Restoration of Prosecutorial Investigation Authority (Geomsu Wonbok)' that Minister Han is promoting, he said, "The current investigation guidelines being developed by the Ministry of Justice are in direct opposition to the National Assembly's legislative policy to separate investigation and prosecution through the amendment of the Prosecutors' Office Act. A draft of the revised investigation guidelines has been prepared, and consultations are ongoing," adding, "If these investigation guidelines that go against this direction are finalized, it would be an illegal investigation guideline that ignores the National Assembly's legislative authority and the amended Prosecutors' Office Act. This could be grounds for impeachment."