Kim Moon-soo: "Democratic Party Pushes for Extension of Justices' Terms"
"Threatening Impeachment of All Cabinet Members... Beginning of Parliamentary Dictatorship"
Han Withholds Ma Eun-hyuk's Appointment Despite Constitutional Court's Ruling
Kim Moon-soo, Minister of Employment and Labor, urged Han Duck-soo, Acting Prime Minister and Presidential Authority, to promptly nominate successors for Constitutional Court Justices Moon Hyung-bae and Lee Mi-seon. Their terms are set to expire on the 18th, raising concerns that this could also affect the scheduled ruling date for President Yoon Seok-yeol's impeachment trial.
On the 31st, Minister Kim stated on his social media service (SNS), "The Democratic Party has submitted a bill to impeach all Cabinet members including Acting Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, while also proposing the extension of terms for Justices Moon Hyung-bae and Lee Mi-seon and the automatic appointment of Ma Eun-hyuk. Speaker Woo Won-shik has even filed a provisional injunction against Ma Eun-hyuk's appointment," adding, "To stop the Democratic Party's outrageous actions, Acting Prime Minister Han must quickly nominate successors for Justices Moon Hyung-bae and Lee Mi-seon."
Minister Kim said, "If the Democratic Party actually impeaches all Cabinet members including Acting Prime Minister Han, the executive branch will collapse, the Constitutional Court will lose its function, and the Speaker of the National Assembly will exercise the power to promulgate laws, leading to a parliamentary dictatorship controlled by the Democratic Party," and demanded, "As a minimum emergency measure to prevent the collapse of the constitutional order, Acting Prime Minister Han should promptly proceed with the nomination process for successors to Justices Moon Hyung-bae and Lee Mi-seon."
He also claimed, "Since the Democratic Party is submitting a bill to the National Assembly to restrict the Acting President's authority to appoint Constitutional Court Justices, it means the Democratic Party acknowledges Acting Prime Minister Han's nomination rights for Constitutional Court Justices."
However, Acting Prime Minister Han is currently withholding the appointment of Constitutional Court nominee Ma Eun-hyuk, which likely makes him hesitant to nominate successors for Justices Moon Hyung-bae and Lee Mi-seon. On the same day, Kim Jung-won, Secretary General of the Constitutional Court, mentioned, "In the impeachment trial of Acting Prime Minister Han, it was stated that not appointing (nominee Ma Eun-hyuk) constitutes a violation of the Constitution and laws, and we hope the constitutional procedures will operate accordingly."
The National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee held the first subcommittee on bill review and approved amendments to the Constitutional Court Act proposed by Democratic Party lawmakers Kim Yong-min and Lee Sung-yoon. Kim's bill stipulates that if the President is vacant or suspended due to impeachment, the acting authority must be elected by the National Assembly and can only appoint three Constitutional Court Justices nominated by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. In other words, it prevents the Acting President from nominating Constitutional Court Justices.
Lee's bill provides that if the Acting President does not appoint a Justice within seven days after the National Assembly and the Chief Justice nominate them, the Justice is deemed appointed. This aims to prevent cases like nominee Ma Eun-hyuk, who remains unappointed by Acting Prime Minister Han. Additionally, the bill includes a provision that if a successor Justice is not appointed, the incumbent's term is automatically extended.
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