Ruling and Opposition Clash Over Acting President's Appointment Authority
Kwon Seong-dong: "Appointment Authority Differs Between Suspension and Vacancy"
Cheon Ha-ram: "No Distinction in Duties Between Vacancy and Accident"
The opposition parties are reacting against the claim made by Kwon Seong-dong, the floor leader of the People Power Party, that "'Until the impeachment motion against President Yoon Seok-yeol is accepted by the Constitutional Court, it is impossible for Han Deok-su, the acting president and prime minister, to appoint constitutional court justices."
On the 17th, Park Chan-dae, the floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, countered Kwon's claim during a floor strategy meeting, saying, "The three current vacancies are the National Assembly's recommendation quota, so if the National Assembly recommends, the president only proceeds with the appointment process," and added, "Saying that the acting president cannot make appointments is just wordplay."
Earlier, Kwon Seong-dong explained at the People Power Party floor strategy meeting, "The acting president can make appointments in the event of a presidential vacancy, but cannot do so during a suspension of presidential duties," and "In the past, acting president Hwang Kyo-ahn appointed constitutional court justices recommended by the Supreme Court only after the impeachment motion was finally accepted by the Constitutional Court."
Regarding this, Kang Yoo-jung, the Democratic Party floor spokesperson, told reporters, "The National Assembly's recommendation quota is a matter on which the National Assembly has reached an agreement, and the president's appointment authority here is passive," and criticized, "The People Power Party is trying to overturn an issue on which the National Assembly has already agreed." When asked by reporters whether the constitutional court justice confirmation hearings scheduled for the 23rd and 24th might be disrupted, Kang said, "Kwon Seong-dong is attempting to reinterpret what was decided by the leadership, and that itself could be seen as an act of conspiracy against the state."
Cheon Ha-ram, floor leader of the Reform New Party, stated on social media, "While it may be difficult for the acting president to appoint constitutional court justices allocated to the president, it is possible to appoint justices allocated to the National Assembly and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, and there is an actual precedent," adding, "In the past, there was a similar controversy about whether acting president Hwang Kyo-ahn could appoint Justice Lee Sun-ae, who was allocated to the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, but ultimately he did appoint her. This is a clear precedent that the acting president can appoint justices allocated to the Supreme Court, not those allocated to the president."
Cheon also refuted Kwon's claim that the acting president's appointment authority varies depending on whether there is a presidential vacancy or suspension of duties. Cheon said, "The constitutional provisions do not distinguish the scope of duties of the acting president based on vacancy or suspension," and added, "Currently, the president is in a state of suspension, and it is also inappropriate to leave constitutional institutions vacant for a long time."
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