Opposition Party Reports Impeachment Motion Against Audit Board Chief and Three Prosecutors to Plenary Session... Vote on 4th

Government and Ruling Party Backlash... Choo Kyung-ho: "Democratic Party is Impeachment-Addicted Party"

An impeachment motion against Choi Jae-hae, Chairman of the Board of Audit and Inspection, Lee Chang-soo, Chief Prosecutor of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, and two other prosecutors has been reported to the plenary session of the National Assembly.

Kim Yong-min, the Deputy Floor Policy Chief of the Democratic Party of Korea, and Assemblyman Lee Sung-yoon submitted the impeachment motion against Choi Jae-hae, the Chairman of the Board of Audit and Inspection, at the National Assembly's Legislative Affairs Office on the 2nd. Photo by Kim Hyun-min

On the 2nd, the National Assembly held a plenary session and reported the impeachment motion against Chairman Choi, Chief Prosecutor Lee, Cho Sang-won, the 4th Deputy Chief Prosecutor of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, and Choi Jae-hoon, Head of the Anti-Corruption Division 2 of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office. According to the National Assembly Act, the vote on the impeachment motion must be held between 24 hours and 72 hours after the report to the plenary session. The vote on the impeachment motion against these individuals is scheduled to take place on the 4th.

This is the first time an impeachment motion against the Chairman of the Board of Audit and Inspection has been proposed in the National Assembly. The opposition parties, including the Democratic Party of Korea, argue that Chairman Choi’s inadequate audit regarding the presidential residence relocation and his abandonment of the independent status of the Board of Audit and Inspection constitute grounds for impeachment. Democratic Party lawmaker Kim Yong-min, when filing and submitting the impeachment motion against Chairman Choi on the day, explained, "Denial of independent status in official duties, targeted audits, violations of various obligations as Chairman of the Board of Audit and Inspection, and refusal to submit materials to the National Assembly are grounds for impeachment," adding, "Regarding the killing of government officials in the West Sea, he leaked military secrets or confidential information obtained in the course of his duties, and he is also accused of fabricating false official documents related to the Itaewon tragedy."

The Democratic Party also emphasized that the impeachment of Chief Prosecutor Lee and other prosecutors is justified. The Democratic Party claims that the prosecution’s decision to dismiss the allegations of stock price manipulation involving First Lady Kim Keon-hee and Deutsche Motors is grounds for impeachment. The impeachment motion against Chief Prosecutor Lee, filed by the Democratic Party, states, "Chief Prosecutor Lee provided procedural privileges unimaginable in ordinary investigation procedures to First Lady Kim, and not only that, but to cover up his own dereliction of duty, he requested a search warrant for Kim, which was dismissed by the court, and then spread false information about this to the media."

The ruling party reacted strongly. On the same day, Choo Kyung-ho, floor leader of the People Power Party, said at a party meeting, "The Democratic Party, which continues its reckless rampage without brakes, is now committing an unprecedented political assault in constitutional history," criticizing, "Throughout the 22nd National Assembly, they have shaken state affairs endlessly with legislative rampages, retaliatory impeachments, and special prosecutor threats, and now they intend to paralyze state affairs entirely with the impeachment of the Chairman of the Board of Audit and Inspection and the prosecution leadership." He continued, "The Democratic Party is the 'Democratic Bulletproof Party' and 'Impeachment Addiction Party,' whose sole purpose is to obstruct state affairs and shake the regime, and whose only goal is to shield Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung," emphasizing, "At a critical time when the national economy and people’s livelihoods are difficult, the Democratic Party’s sole focus on political strife and destruction of state affairs will face stern judgment from the people and history."

The individuals targeted by the impeachment also expressed dissatisfaction with the opposition’s impeachment push. Chairman Choi stated to reporters at the National Assembly on the 29th of last month, "I deeply regret the political impeachment that undermines the foundation of constitutional order," and expressed his intention not to resign voluntarily. Thirty-three deputy prosecutors of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office issued a joint statement on the 27th of last month through the prosecution’s internal network, iProse, opposing the impeachment of Chief Prosecutor Lee, and the rank-and-file prosecutors of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office are expected to release a statement within the day emphasizing the unfairness of the impeachment push.