National Assembly Passes Resolution to Withdraw Nomination of Constitutional Court Justices Iwan-gyu and Hamsang-hoon (Update)

On the 15th, the National Assembly held a plenary session and passed the 'Resolution Urging the Withdrawal of the Nomination of Constitutional Court Justices Lee Wankyu and Ham Sanghoon (hereinafter referred to as the Resolution)'.

As a result of the vote on the Resolution that day, all 168 members present voted in favor, and it was adopted. Prior to the vote, members of the People Power Party simultaneously left the chamber to express their opposition to the Resolution. The Resolution was passed earlier that morning in the National Assembly Steering Committee, led by members of the Democratic Party of Korea. Members of the People Power Party also opposed the Resolution in the Steering Committee and did not participate in the vote.

The Resolution includes demands that Acting President and Prime Minister Han Deok-soo apologize for the nomination of Constitutional Court justices and withdraw the nominations, as well as support for various legal measures such as constitutional disputes filed by the National Assembly and others to block the appointment of the justices.

On the 8th, Acting President Han announced his intention to nominate Lee Wankyu, Director of the Ministry of Government Legislation, and Ham Sanghoon, Chief Judge of the Seoul High Court, as successors to Moon Hyung-bae, Acting Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court, and Justice Lee Mi-seon, whose terms end on the 18th.

The National Assembly plenary session. Photo by Yonhap News

The Democratic Party of Korea and others have pointed out that Acting President Han's nomination of Constitutional Court justices is an overreach of authority.

Speaker of the National Assembly Woo Won-shik also explained, "Constitutional scholars have expressed the opinion that the Acting President's appointment of Constitutional Court justices with about 50 days left until the presidential election violates the Constitution," adding, "Since constitutional disputes and provisional injunction reviews are underway at the Constitutional Court, it was necessary for the National Assembly to clarify its stance and opinions, which is why the Resolution was submitted."