"The world is watching... There is no room for conspiracy theories"
"Debate over the Constitutional Court's political leanings is pathetic as a legal professional"
Former Minister of the Office for Government Policy Coordination Lee Seok-yeon predicted that President Yoon Seok-yeol will be unanimously impeached by the Constitutional Court justices. Lee, a constitutional scholar who served as the Minister of the Office for Government Policy Coordination under the Lee Myung-bak administration, is South Korea's first constitutional research officer.
President Yoon Suk-yeol attended the 6th impeachment trial session held at the Grand Bench of the Constitutional Court in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on the morning of the 6th, and is reviewing documents. 2025.02.06 Photo by Joint Press Corps
In an interview with JTBC Newsroom on the 8th, Lee stated, “President Yoon’s declaration of martial law is a very clear-cut case,” adding, “Therefore, the impeachment trial will not proceed with incidental or non-essential issues such as criminal liability.”
He explained that the dismissal will be announced by unanimous decision of the Constitutional Court justices no later than early March, saying, “The evidence is clear, and the entire nation and the world have watched in shock, so there is no room for conspiracy theories, planning theories, or manipulation theories regarding the impeachment.”
Lee emphasized, “The impeachment trial against the president is not about criminal liability but about determining whether the president violated the Constitution or laws during the execution of official duties.”
He pointed out two clear constitutional violations: ▲the failure to undergo the State Council deliberation and obtain signatures from State Council members required for declaring martial law, and ▲the claim by President Yoon that the ‘tyranny of the major opposition party’ constitutes grounds for martial law, which does not meet the criteria of wartime, armed conflict, or an equivalent national emergency.
Former Minister of Government Legislation Lee Seok-yeon (right) having a conversation with Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, last December Photo by Yonhap News
He continued, “The Constitution also clearly states that the impeachment trial against the president determines dismissal and is separate from criminal liability,” adding, “Whether President Yoon ordered ‘to pull out lawmakers’ is a matter to be contested in criminal proceedings concerning the establishment of the crime of rebellion against the president.”
Regarding criticisms of the political leanings of the Constitutional Court justices, Lee said, “As a member of the legal profession, I find it pathetic.”
He explained, “The impeachment trial against the president is a highly political judicial trial. Therefore, the composition of the Constitutional Court is designed to ensure diversity, unlike the Supreme Court, with three justices appointed by the president, three by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, and three elected by the National Assembly.”
Lee stated, “The political leanings of Constitutional Court justices inevitably reflect the tendencies of the parties or the individuals who appoint them. Would the Democratic Party appoint legal professionals with conservative or far-right tendencies?” He added firmly, “This is explicitly stipulated in the Constitution.”
Finally, when asked what he would like to say to President Yoon as a conservative elder and legal professional, Lee sharply responded, “Now is not the time to say ‘The president is the pride of the people.’”
He criticized, “He has never sincerely apologized for creating this unconstitutional and chaotic unconstitutional crisis,” and urged, “He is only inciting his ardent supporters and leading our country into a mental civil war. In a way, isn’t he trying to push us into a state of anarchy? I urge him to take full responsibility for causing this situation and step down immediately.”
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