Presidential Office "Regrets Acting Chief Choi's Constitutional Court Justice Appointment Exceeding Authority"

"Will Deepen Political Conflicts"

On the 31st, the Presidential Office expressed regret over Choi Sang-mok, Acting Prime Minister for Economic Affairs and Minister of Strategy and Finance, announcing his intention to appoint two of the three Constitutional Court justices elected by the National Assembly, stating that it "exceeds the scope of authority."

According to Yonhap News on the same day, a senior official from the Presidential Office stated, "It is very regrettable that the acting official has exceeded the scope of authority that should be properly restrained in the acting position."

He added, "By making sensitive political value judgments too unilaterally in the capacity of acting authority, it will rather deepen political conflicts."

President Yoon Suk-yeol has reportedly refused to accept the second summons from the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO). Meanwhile, the Constitutional Court announced that it will proceed with the preparatory hearing for President Yoon's impeachment trial as scheduled on the 27th. Photo of the Presidential Office in Yongsan-gu, Seoul. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung

Earlier that day, Acting Prime Minister Choi appointed two of the three candidates for Constitutional Court justice elected by the National Assembly on the 26th as Constitutional Court justices. Regarding candidate Ma Eun-hyuk, he stated that he would appoint him after bipartisan agreement.

The Presidential Office reportedly advised Acting Authority Choi not to appoint the Constitutional Court justices. It is also known that some Cabinet members opposed the appointments at the Cabinet meeting held that day.