Opposition Openly Discusses 'Presidential Impeachment'... Is It Realistic?

'Regime Collapse', 'Grounds for Impeachment' Indicated Daily
Rejection of Special Prosecutor Law by Chae Sang-byeong, Criticism of Prosecutor Personnel
Even Within the Opposition Party, "It Seems Difficult for Now" Indicated

After the general election, talks of impeaching President Yoon Seok-yeol began to surface openly within the opposition. Although some figures mentioned impeachment even before the election, the discussions became more overt and showed a changed tone afterward. However, there remains a cautious distance regarding the actual possibility of impeachment.

According to political circles on the 15th, voices warning of presidential impeachment continue amid possibilities of exercising the veto power (reconsideration request) over the Chae Sang-byeong Special Prosecutor Act, which passed the National Assembly plenary session. Park Chan-dae, the Democratic Party floor leader, said the day before, "(President Yoon Seok-yeol) should stop fiddling with and put down the veto power over the Chae Sang-byeong Special Prosecutor Act," adding, "The public's patience has limits. There is no one who will endure reckless veto exercises any longer." He continued, "He must realize that foolish choices that turn the entire nation into enemies are a shortcut to the regime's downfall," and urged, "Do not make the mistake of wasting the last chance."

Hwang Un-ha, floor leader of the Joguk Innovation Party, also said on KBS radio the day before, "If the president's veto power is abused beyond constitutional limits, it can be grounds for impeachment according to constitutional scholars," adding, "(Exercising veto power over the Chae Sang-byeong Special Prosecutor Act) falls under this." Hwang explained, "Veto power is allowed in cases of unconstitutional laws, laws that are impossible to implement, laws that threaten national fiscal soundness due to costs, or laws against national or public interest. The Chae Sang-byeong case does not fall under these, and the special prosecutor for President Yoon or First Lady Kim Geon-hee is the same. Since the president's spouse is the subject of investigation, exercising veto power in this case constitutes a clear conflict of interest and an abuse of veto power."

However, regarding whether this constitutes a serious reason warranting presidential removal, he said, "That is within the Constitutional Court's judgment," and about the National Assembly's impeachment proposal, which precedes the Constitutional Court's impeachment trial, he stated, "It is up to the National Assembly to judge after considering various circumstances."

Park Chan-dae, floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea (right), is visiting Hwang Un-ha, floor leader of the Innovation Party of Korea, at the National Assembly Members' Office Building on the 10th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

Kim Yong-min, Democratic Party deputy floor leader, claimed in a CBS radio interview on the 13th that the president's exercise of veto power over the Chae Sang-byeong Special Prosecutor Act is an "unconstitutional idea." Kim said, "There are clear limits to veto power," adding, "If exercising authority to cover up one's own crimes is recognized, it itself becomes an unconstitutional exercise of power." He said, "It can be grounds for impeachment," and "As a lawyer reviewing the legal principles, it can sufficiently be grounds for impeachment." However, regarding internal party discussions, he said, "It is too early to say that there has been concrete discussion or consensus formed."

Lee Jun-seok, leader of the Reform New Party, also hinted at impeachment through social media the day before, referring to a sudden prosecution personnel reshuffle. Lee said, "Looking at the prosecution personnel, it seems like a last desperate struggle," adding, "I hoped they would not repeat the mistakes of 2016, but they are riding the 'T' Express." The year 2016 was when former President Park Geun-hye was impeached, and the "T Express" is interpreted as a reference to the so-called "impeachment train" at that time.

Within the opposition, although there are differences in the intensity of remarks, there is a common trend of making statements that fan the flames. It is characteristic that expressions such as "it can be grounds for impeachment" or hints at impeachment are used.

Woo Sang-ho, a Democratic Party lawmaker who led discussions on the impeachment proposal's passage in the National Assembly during the 2016 impeachment, expressed that impeachment is neither easy nor likely to be attempted immediately. Woo said, "(Impeachment) is not something that can be done just because there is power, and various aspects must be considered," adding, "Even though we are the majority party, we need to cause a significant number of People Power Party lawmakers to defect. Is that possible right after the general election? It is hard to predict that newly elected lawmakers will immediately betray President Yoon and join impeachment."

He also said, "There is also the question of whether this is a serious issue that makes it impossible to maintain the presidency, like the Park Geun-hye and Choi Soon-sil state affairs scandal," adding, "These factors must be comprehensively considered, and lawmakers from both ruling and opposition parties in the 22nd National Assembly must make a sound judgment." He said, "Claiming impeachment is their personal freedom," but predicted, "If linked to whether the party will actually push for impeachment, it is unlikely that the Democratic Party will pursue impeachment immediately after the 22nd National Assembly convenes."