Won Hee-ryong "Han Deok-soo Impeachment? Next, the People Will Impeach the Democratic Party and Lee Jae-myung"

"Reason for Forcing Impeachment? Early Presidential Election for Lee Jae-myung"
"Democratic Party's Behavior, an Act of Constitutional Violation"

Former Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Won Hee-ryong expressed criticism regarding the impeachment push against Acting President and Prime Minister Han Deok-su.

On the 27th, Won posted on his social media account, "The Democratic Party says they will impeach Acting President Han Deok-su," adding, "The only reason for forcibly pushing the impeachment of the Acting President, despite the decline in South Korea's credibility, global concerns including those of allies, and public anxiety, is solely 'an early presidential election for Lee Jae-myung.'"

Former Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Won Hee-ryong. Photo by Jo Yong-jun

Won further stated, "The Democratic Party is citing all sorts of reasons for impeachment, but ultimately, isn't it because Acting President Han is not complying with the Democratic Party's demands?" He criticized, "This behavior of the Democratic Party is an act of trampling on the Constitution." He added, "If the Democratic Party forcibly proceeds with the impeachment of the Acting President, the people will then impeach the Democratic Party and its leader Lee Jae-myung."

Earlier, on the 26th, the National Assembly reported the impeachment motion against Acting President Han. According to regulations requiring processing 24 hours after the report, the impeachment motion is scheduled to be handled in the plenary session at 3 p.m. on the 27th. Initially, the Democratic Party planned to complete the election procedure for three Constitutional Court justices in the plenary session and then observe whether Acting President Han would appoint them before deciding on pushing the impeachment. However, when Acting President Han announced in a public address before the plenary vote that he would "withhold the appointment of Constitutional Court justices until the ruling and opposition parties submit a consensus proposal," effectively rejecting the opposition's final ultimatum, the impeachment process was immediately initiated.

Park Chan-dae, the Democratic Party floor leader, commented on Han's address, saying, "This is an address acknowledging that he is not an acting president but an acting traitor," and added, "He exercised the most active power, the veto, yet made the absurd argument of refusing to appoint Constitutional Court justices, which is the most formal exercise of authority." He also stated, "Today, former Minister of National Defense Kim Yong-hyun confessed that he reported to Prime Minister Han in advance before recommending the emergency martial law on December 3rd," and continued, "It has become clear what caused the incomprehensible actions following Yoon Seok-youl's impeachment. It is evident that Prime Minister Han lacks both the qualification to serve as Acting President and the will to uphold the Constitution." Currently, the People Power Party has decided on a party line to reject the impeachment motion against Acting President Han and has expressed an intention to abstain if the quorum for the vote is 151 members.