Opposition Holds Press Conference in Front of Constitutional Court Urging Swift Impeachment of Yoon
"Political Calculations Absolutely Unacceptable"... Pressure on Constitutional Court Intensifies
Confident in Not Guilty Verdict for Lee's Second Trial... "No Plan B"
On the 26th, the day of the second trial verdict for Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, on charges of violating the Public Official Election Act, the Democratic Party launched a public campaign urging the swift impeachment of President Yoon.
Park Chan-dae, the floor leader of the Democratic Party, and others held a press conference in front of the main gate of the Constitutional Court in Jongno-gu, Seoul, calling for the swift impeachment of President Yoon Seok-yeol. In the press statement, Park Chan-dae said, "The Constitutional Court must not betray the trust of the people," and "We strongly urge the designation of the impeachment trial verdict date for President Yoon within the day."
On the afternoon of the same day, ahead of the second trial verdict for Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party is rallying public opinion to demand the swift impeachment of the Yoon administration. Pressure on the Constitutional Court is also intensifying. Before reading the press statement, Lee Geon-tae, the Democratic Party’s legal spokesperson, said, "The Constitutional Court must consider nothing other than upholding the Constitution," adding, "Political calculations are absolutely unacceptable, and if they do so, they would be violating the Constitution themselves and betraying the trust of the people." It is reported that the party requested all lawmakers to attend the morning press conference.
The day before, the Democratic Party’s floor leadership expressed their intention to continue impeachment proceedings against Choi Sang-mok, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance, and hinted at the possibility of re-impeachment of Han Duck-soo, Acting President and Prime Minister, who returned to the acting presidency after the dismissal of the impeachment trial.
Meanwhile, the Democratic Party is hoping for a not guilty verdict in Lee Jae-myung’s second trial. Since there is no other competitor to break Lee’s dominant position, an early presidential election could significantly weaken the Democratic Party’s standing. Park Gyun-taek, chairman of the Democratic Party’s legal committee, said on CBS Radio’s "Kim Hyun-jung’s News Show" that he "naturally expects a not guilty verdict" regarding Lee’s second trial verdict. When asked if there was a Plan B for an early presidential election if Lee’s first trial verdict were upheld, he replied, "I have never heard such talk, perhaps because there is confidence in the not guilty verdict."
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