The ruling and opposition parties are continuing their extreme confrontation in front of the Constitutional Court, ahead of the impeachment judgment of President Yoon Suk-yeol. After the Democratic Party proposed an impeachment motion against Choi Sang-mok, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance, the ruling and opposition parties appear to be clashing head-on once again.
On the 25th, in front of the Constitutional Court in Jongno-gu, Seoul, Na Kyung-won and Jeong Jeom-sik, members of the People Power Party, who were picketing against the impeachment of President Yoon Seok-yeol, were watching as Park Hong-bae, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, prepared to picket calling for the dismissal of President Yoon. Photo by Yonhap News.
According to political circles on the 25th, Yoon Sang-hyun of the People Power Party held a "human chain prayer march against impeachment," silently praying while walking around the Constitutional Court. Members of the People Power Party's Christian group, President Yoon's lawyer Seok Dong-hyun, and Korean history instructor Jeon Han-gil participated. Starting with lawmakers Yoon Sang-hyun and Kang Seung-gyu, the ruling party's "relay protest for dismissal and rejection of impeachment in front of the Constitutional Court," which began on the 12th, has continued into its second week. Kwon Seong-dong, floor leader of the People Power Party, said at a floor strategy meeting held at the National Assembly that day, "The plenary session for Deputy Prime Minister Choi's impeachment should not be held," and urged "Speaker Woo Won-shik to make a decision."
The emotional conflict between ruling and opposition lawmakers over the protest site in front of the Constitutional Court is intensifying. Since the 21st, the Democratic Party has formed teams by standing committees in the National Assembly to continue urging the Constitutional Court to rule on President Yoon's impeachment. Democratic Party lawmakers have been engaged in a battle of wills with People Power Party lawmakers who have been conducting a "relay solo protest against President Yoon's impeachment" at the same location. The Democratic Party claims that the People Power Party is conducting solo protests through loopholes. Currently, only solo protests and press conferences are allowed within 100 meters of the Constitutional Court, but People Power Party lawmakers are being criticized for conducting "trick protests."
When People Power Party lawmakers Kim Jeong-jae and Kim Mi-ae, along with party-affiliated district committee chairpersons, held placards and protested the day before, Democratic Party lawmaker Mo Gyeong-jong, who attended the relay press conference urging impeachment, said, "How can this be a solo protest? It's a meeting of People Power Party district committee chairpersons and lawmakers." In response, Kim Mi-ae said, "Oh dear, you should look at the Democratic Party's level," retorting sharply. Kim Jeong-jae also shouted, "Why are you picking a fight when I'm doing it?" Democratic Party lawmaker Kim Won-i questioned, "Doesn't it look like they are less than 10 meters apart to anyone?"
On the 25th, in front of the Constitutional Court in Jongno-gu, Seoul, Jo Baesuk (from the left) and Na Kyung-won, members of the People Power Party, who were picketing against the impeachment of President Yoon Seok-yeol, are talking with Park Hong-bae, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, who was preparing a picket calling for the dismissal of President Yoon. Photo by Yonhap News.
Lawmakers from both parties exchanged arguments again in front of the Constitutional Court that day. When lawmakers Na Kyung-won and Jeong Jeom-sik held relay protests in front of the Constitutional Court, Democratic Party lawmaker Park Hong-bae held a placard in front of them. When Na protested, saying, "You shouldn't stand like this," Democratic Party lawmakers countered, "Isn't this a two-person protest, not a solo protest?"
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