On the 10th, just two days after President Yoon Seok-yeol was released, Kim Moon-soo, Minister of Employment and Labor and a leading conservative presidential candidate with high approval ratings, expressed political remarks supporting President Yoon and criticizing the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) and the Constitutional Court.
At 3 p.m. that day, Minister Kim began his remarks at a press conference with reporters covering the Ministry of Employment and Labor, saying, “I am glad that our president has been released.” Nearly half of the 75-minute conference, which lasted until 4:15 p.m., was devoted to political content.
In particular, his opening remarks were almost entirely political statements as a politician rather than discussions about employment and labor policies as the Minister of Employment and Labor.
“When there is no freedom, how uncomfortable it is?our president felt that this time. He said he had only been a prosecutor and had put others behind bars, but this was the first time he himself was detained. The president said he learned from this experience, and I think those words have very diverse and profound meanings.”
“Our president was elected by the entire nation as the President of the Republic of Korea, yet he was detained for 52 days due to the CIO’s misapplication of the law and was then released. This indicates that there are significant problems in the functioning of our country’s judicial system.”
“Rather than the positive role of the CIO, the confusion it causes in the judicial system, the chaos among our criminal institutions?prosecutors, police, CIO, National Intelligence Service investigation rights?during this confusion, the president was detained for over nine hours beyond the legal limit. The conclusion was his release and cancellation of detention. That process was very wrong.”
“Recently, regarding the Constitutional Court’s issue, former President Park Geun-hye was impeached by the Constitutional Court with an 8-0 decision. (Omitted) President Yoon’s case involves martial law, and whether it constitutes rebellion or not. This is not a matter for the Constitutional Court to decide but for a criminal court. The Constitutional Court is not an institution that can judge whether it is rebellion or not. The criminal court makes that judgment. We all remember, as you have reported, that impeachment was carried out on the grounds of rebellion. Then, was the martial law itself illegal? Was the president’s declaration of martial law illegal? Was it a violation of the constitution or a presidential right guaranteed by the constitution? Then, whether it was justified or excessive can be judged.”
There was also a Q&A session about whether he would run if an early presidential election were held.
- You are currently leading as the ruling party’s top presidential candidate. Earlier last month, when asked about running, you said you had no intention, then later said you could not answer, and recently said you would do anything for Korea. Does that include running?
▲ Now that the president has come out, has been released, and the impeachment was dismissed, if I am told to remain as minister, I will stay, but otherwise, I will go home. Running requires an election.
- What will you do if impeachment occurs?
▲ That... now that the president was detained and then released, and the impeachment trial proceeds properly and normally, I expect he will return.
- Do you think impeachment is unlikely?
▲ That would be a by-election. The president must be vacant, but I hope that does not happen, and the likelihood is decreasing. I think it is inappropriate to answer assuming a vacancy.
Meanwhile, this press conference was scheduled on the morning of the 6th, two days before President Yoon’s release, so it is unclear whether it was originally intended with his release in mind.
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