The Party for National Innovation: "If Deputy Prime Minister Choi Sang-mok wants to act like Acting Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, he should resign altogether"

The Party for National Innovation warned Choi Sang-mok, Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs and Minister of Strategy and Finance, who would assume the role of acting president if Han Deok-su, the acting president and prime minister, were impeached. They stated that if he intends to act like Han, he should not take on the role of acting president and should resign instead.

Yonhap News

On the 27th, Kim Bo-hyeop, spokesperson for the Party for National Innovation, issued a statement warning Deputy Prime Minister Choi, who requested reconsideration of the impeachment motion against Acting President Han. Kim said, "The Party for National Innovation gives a prior warning to Deputy Prime Minister Choi," adding, "If you intend to act as the ringleader of a rebellion like Acting President Han, do not assume the role of acting president and resign outright." He continued, "If someone who has lived off the national treasury for decades cannot fulfill their duties as a public official of the Republic of Korea, the only option is to go home and rest." He also said, "If Deputy Prime Minister Choi intends to follow the same path as Yoon Seok-youl and Han Deok-su, I will not stop him."

Earlier, Deputy Prime Minister Choi held an interim cabinet meeting at the Government Complex Seoul in Jongno-gu, Seoul, stating, "Our economy and people's livelihoods, which are walking on thin ice amid a national emergency, cannot bear the political uncertainty caused by the acting president's acting role," and requested reconsideration of the National Assembly's impeachment motion.

Regarding this, Spokesperson Kim asked, "Have you made a sincere appeal to Acting President Han Deok-su, who extended and amplified national instability and uncertainty?" He questioned, "Instead of setting the condition of an agreement with the People Power Party, which broke bipartisan consensus and did not participate in the selection of Constitutional Court justices, have you appealed for the immediate appointment of Constitutional Court justices?" He also asked, "Could it be that Deputy Prime Minister Choi hopes for the return of the rebel ringleader Yoon Seok-youl because the Constitutional Court is not functioning properly?"

Kim said, "The reason the National Assembly is trying to pass the impeachment motion against Prime Minister Han today is clear," adding, "It is because he is going in the exact opposite direction of the public sentiment that desires national stability." He listed the tasks the acting president should undertake, including the appointment of three Constitutional Court justices who have passed the parliamentary confirmation hearings, and the promulgation of the special investigation laws on the rebellion and Kim Geon-hee.