Minju: "Choi Sang-mok and Ma Eun-hyuk Must Be Immediately Appointed... Constitutional Court's Decision Refusal Is Clearly Unconstitutional"

"Insult to the People"
Democratic Party Criticizes Park Sooyoung's Protest Against Appointment

The Democratic Party of Korea on the 2nd once again demanded that Choi Sang-mok, Acting Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance, "stop violating the Constitution and immediately appoint Ma Eun-hyuk as Constitutional Court Justice candidate."

Ma Eun-hyuk, nominee for Constitutional Court Justice. Photo by Yonhap News.

Hwang Jeong-ah, the party spokesperson, stated in a written briefing that "complying with the Constitutional Court's decision is constitutional, and refusing to do so is a clear violation of the Constitution."

Earlier, on the 27th of last month, the Constitutional Court unanimously ruled in a dispute over authority filed by Woo Won-shik, Speaker of the National Assembly, against Acting Prime Minister Choi, that Choi's failure to appoint candidate Ma was an illegal act infringing on the National Assembly's authority.

Spokesperson Hwang warned, "Choi's refusal to follow the Constitutional Court's decision is not only neglect of duty but a deliberate act of constitutional destruction," adding, "If candidate Ma is not appointed immediately, he will face historical judgment not as Acting President but as an agent of rebellion." She further criticized, "Claiming to be a proxy for Yoon Seok-yeol, the ringleader of rebellion who destroyed the Constitution, does this mean that even the Constitutional Court's decision is now being mocked?"

The Democratic Party also strongly opposed Park Soo-young of the People Power Party, who began an indefinite hunger strike in the National Assembly main building opposing candidate Ma's appointment.

Kang Yoo-jung, the party's floor spokesperson, criticized in a written briefing, "The hunger strike by the People Power Party, the party responsible for martial law, is a secondary harm threatening the Constitution and order, and a mockery of the victims of martial law."

Spokesperson Kang pointed out, "The Constitutional Court just unanimously recognized this," and questioned, "Are they offering neither apology for the December 3 rebellion nor respect for the Constitution, National Assembly consultations, or the identity and raison d'?tre of National Assembly members, but instead dedicating all to 'protecting Yoon Seok-yeol'?" She added, "A hunger strike is the last resort for the weak who have no other means of appeal," urging, "Do not contaminate the meaning of the hunger strike and immediately urge the appointment of candidate Ma to have the party's qualifications and judgment verified by the public."