Government "Deeply Regrets Impeachment Move Against Korean Acting President... Urges Careful Deliberation"

"International Community Is Watching... US and Japan Also Support"
"If Faith in the System Wavers, Trust Could Collapse"
Regarding the Dual Special Prosecutor Law, "No Flaws Have Been Corrected"

Acting President and Prime Minister Han Duck-soo salutes the national flag at the temporary Cabinet meeting held at the Government Seoul Office Building on the 19th. Photo by Yonhap News

The government expressed "deep regret" over the opposition parties, including the Democratic Party of Korea, pushing for the impeachment of Acting President and Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, stating, "We believe they will give it more careful consideration going forward."

A senior official from the Prime Minister's Office said on the afternoon of the 24th at the Government Seoul Office Building, "The government has made all judgments and decisions with an eye on the nation's future in accordance with the Constitution and laws, and will continue to do so," emphasizing this stance.

The official explained, "The international community is watching us," adding, "The international community has expressed support for the current acting prime minister system, and such sentiments were reiterated during phone calls with U.S. President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba."

He continued, "Based on that trust, our country's economy has remained stable without shaking," stressing, "The credit default swap (CDS) premium, which indicates the country's credit risk, is also steady in the mid-30s range."

The senior official said, "(This) reflects the international community's confidence in the current acting system that upholds the rule of law and market economy," but expressed concern, "If that trust in the system wavers and is lost, the international community's confidence in us could collapse."

He added, "That would inevitably have a negative impact on our economy."

Regarding the required number of votes to pass the impeachment motion against Acting President Han, with the Democratic Party advocating for the general quorum of 150 seats and the People Power Party insisting on 200 seats equivalent to the president's threshold, the government maintained the position that "it does not have the authority to interpret this."

However, in response to the National Assembly Legislative Research Office's opinion the previous day, given to Democratic Party lawmaker Kim Han-kyu's inquiry, that impeachment of the acting president can be decided by a majority of the total members (151 votes), the official said, "During my time as prime minister, I interpreted that impeachment for issues related to certain duties requires only a majority."

He also noted, "Some constitutional scholars argue that since (Acting President Han) holds the position of head of state, 200 votes are necessary," adding, "Perspectives may vary." This is interpreted as a reluctance to simply accept the Democratic Party's view that the impeachment quorum is 150 votes.

When asked about countermeasures such as injunctions by the Constitutional Court if the opposition-led impeachment motion passes, he dismissed it, saying, "It is not a stage for review yet."

Regarding the upcoming first meeting of the ruling-opposition-government consultative body scheduled for the 26th, he said, "Even though democracy is about decisions made by the majority, currently the majority and minority opinions are sharply divided, so it is inappropriate for the government to judge solely by administrative standards."

He explained, "Rather than avoidance, this is a wise approach to foster harmony and unity in the Republic of Korea and move toward a better future."

On the opposition-led passage of the Special Investigation Act on Internal Rebellion and the Kim Geon-hee Special Investigation Act, he expressed a negative stance, saying, "The flaws I have repeatedly mentioned have not been corrected at all."

In particular, the official added regarding the Special Investigation Act on Internal Rebellion, "It ultimately has the same defects," and stated, "The government believes thorough review is necessary."