Park Chandae "Han Deoksu, Impeachment Procedure Initiated... Impeachment Possible with Democratic Party Seats" (Update)

Han Deok-su Requests Political Consultation While Delaying Special Prosecutor Law Promulgation
Park Chan-dae "Internal Security Investigation Cannot Be Subject to Compromise"

Park Chan-dae, floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, said on the 24th that he would "immediately initiate impeachment proceedings" against Acting President and Prime Minister Han Duck-soo for not following the procedure to promulgate the special investigation law on the insurrection and Kim Geon-hee.

Park Chan-dae, the floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is speaking at the party strategy meeting held at the National Assembly on the 24th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min

At the party floor leaders' meeting held at the National Assembly that day, Park officially announced his intention to start impeachment proceedings that could suspend Han's duties, referring to Han as "Prime Minister." He said, "Today is the final deadline given to Prime Minister Han," and introduced his clear warning that "whether he will go down in history with the disgraceful name of being the puppet of the insurrection ringleader Yoon Seok-yeol, or remain as a public official who carries out the orders of the sovereign people, depends entirely on Prime Minister Han's decision."

He continued, "Today, Prime Minister Han clearly stated at the Cabinet meeting that he would not promulgate the special investigation law," and rebutted, "They say the ruling and opposition parties should compromise and negotiate over the special investigation and appointment, but how can an insurrection investigation be a subject of compromise?"

Earlier, at the Cabinet meeting held that day, Prime Minister Han mentioned the special investigation law and the appointment of constitutional court justices, saying, "To wisely handle issues where legal interpretations and political views clash, such as the handling of the special investigation law and the appointment of constitutional court justices, it is above all necessary for the ruling and opposition parties to put their heads together," and requested further discussions between the parties, stating, "If efforts are not made to create a legal framework that both the investigating and investigated parties can accept as fair, there is a great risk that distrust and hatred in the Republic of Korea will grow even more severely than now."

In response, Floor Leader Park said, "Prime Minister Han's words can only be interpreted as an intention to delay time and continue the insurrection," and added, "The Democratic Party will immediately initiate impeachment proceedings against the insurrection proxy, Prime Minister Han. We will extinguish the remaining flames of the insurrection."

Regarding Acting President Han, Floor Leader Park said that unlike the president, impeachment can proceed with a majority in the National Assembly. He said, "Currently, Yoon Seok-yeol's status is that of president; there cannot be two presidents," and added, "Impeachment of the Prime Minister can be done with the general quorum, that is, a majority of the total members of the National Assembly."