Minju, Was Choi Sang-mok Burdened by Impeachment... Silent Even in Late-Night Debate

After Delegating Impeachment Decision to Leadership, Morning Meeting Canceled
"Concerns Over Unpredictable Backlash if Choi Is Impeached"

The Democratic Party of Korea ultimately failed to decide on whether to impeach Acting President Choi Sang-mok despite late-night discussions. Initially, the Democratic Party had taken a hardline stance, threatening impeachment if the nomination of Ma Eun-hyuk as Constitutional Court Justice was not made by the 19th. However, it is reported that internally, considering repeated criticism of impeachment, opinions were raised that a cautious decision was necessary.

On the morning of the 20th, the Democratic Party canceled the scheduled party policy coordination meeting and held a press conference in front of the Constitutional Court titled "Urgent Request for the Swift Dismissal of Traitor Yoon Seok-yeol." During a two-hour party members' meeting the previous evening, the Democratic Party delegated the decision on whether to impeach Acting President Choi to the party leadership. Among the 22 members who participated in the meeting, opinions were divided between those who believed impeachment was necessary and those who felt caution was needed ahead of the Constitutional Court's impeachment trial of President Yoon.

Kang Yoo-jung, the Democratic Party's floor spokesperson, explained immediately after the party meeting, "First, there was discussion about diversifying methods of outdoor protests, and secondly, there was a variety of discussions about alternative responses other than impeachment regarding Acting President Choi's impeachment." Ultimately, unable to reach a consensus on impeachment, the decision was delegated to the party leadership.

The leadership gathered opinions from the party meeting and held an emergency late-night debate at dawn but still could not decide on whether to impeach Acting President Choi. The political circles expected the party leadership to announce the final decision at the policy coordination meeting that day, but the meeting was suddenly canceled in the morning, effectively putting the stance on hold. Lee Jae-myung, the party leader who caused controversy the previous day by telling Acting President Choi to "be careful," did not attend either the party meeting or the late-night debate.

Yonhap News

There are also views that the Democratic Party's final ultimatum will fizzle out. The Constitutional Court's impeachment trial of President Yoon has entered the final countdown, and the second trial verdict on Leader Lee's election law violation is also just a week away, which is not unrelated. There is also an assessment that forcibly impeaching Acting President Choi could instead trigger an unpredictable backlash.

Political commentator Park Sang-byeong said, "What the Democratic Party fears most is that Acting President Choi's impeachment could become a new variable in the Constitutional Court trial," adding, "While Acting President Choi clearly delayed the nomination of candidate Ma and ignored the law, whether this constitutes grounds for impeachment is a separate matter. The Democratic Party is feeling pressure from the public and public opinion."

Meanwhile, the People Power Party also launched an offensive against the Democratic Party, which mentioned impeaching Acting President Choi, calling it "an attempt to completely ruin the Republic of Korea." Kwon Young-se, the emergency committee chairman of the People Power Party, said at the emergency committee meeting that day, "As the fabrication of treason in the presidential impeachment trial is exposed and they judge that the outcome they desire is difficult, they are trying to change the game by nominating candidate Ma, who is from the Incheon Regional Democratic Laborers' Federation (Inmin Noryeon) and the Our Law Research Association."