Handonghun "Democratic Party, Frequent Impeachments Due to Political Calculations"

Han Dong-hoon, Minister of Justice, criticized the Democratic Party of Korea, which proposed an impeachment motion against prosecutors on the 14th, saying, "It seems like they are pushing for one impeachment per day."

Minister of Justice Han Dong-hoon [Image source=Yonhap News]

As Minister Han left the Government Complex Gwacheon on the same day, he said, "The Democratic Party impeached judges, then the Minister of the Interior and Safety, then the Chairman of the Korea Communications Commission, then said they would impeach three prosecutors, then said they would impeach me but backed down, and today they said they would impeach the Prosecutor General but changed their words because the atmosphere was unfavorable."

He continued, "The Constitution of the Republic of Korea has the final means to prevent the destruction of democracy: the National Assembly can file impeachment motions, and the government can file requests for unconstitutional party rulings," and asked, "What do you think would happen if the Ministry of Justice filed a request for an unconstitutional party ruling against the Democratic Party on the grounds that they destroyed liberal democracy?"

He then argued, "Do you really think that the possibility of the Constitutional Court accepting an unconstitutional party ruling against the Democratic Party is lower than the impeachment of Prosecutor General Lee Won-seok or myself? I do not see it that way."

He also criticized, "Anyway, the Democratic Party is recklessly pushing for impeachments with the political calculation that they believe there is no chance of acceptance and that the motions will be dismissed after the general election, so it’s a profitable political move."

Minister Han stated, "However, the Ministry of Justice currently has no plans to file a request for an unconstitutional party ruling. If there is even a slight possibility that it would paralyze national functions, cause confusion, ruin the country, or harm the people, it is right not to even consider it unless there is absolutely no other way," and pointed out, "But the Democratic Party is not like that at all."

Regarding the Democratic Party’s claim that the prosecution does not maintain political neutrality, he dismissed it by saying, "Is investigating crimes not maintaining political neutrality? Are Lee Jae-myung’s crimes related to the Democratic Party or politics? It is a completely absurd claim."

On the harsh criticism directed at him by former Democratic Party leader Song Young-gil and lawmaker Min Hyung-bae, who called him names like "kid," Minister Han said, "The public will carefully observe and judge their words and actions through this opportunity."

Regarding the court’s decision the previous day to separately hear the perjury coaching charges against Lee Jae-myung from the Daejang-dong and Baekhyeon-dong cases, he responded, "The cases are completely different, and what crime did Kim Jin-sung, who was indicted for perjury, commit that he has to be dragged to that trial for years? It is only natural."