"Impeachment of Cho Hee-dae Delegated to Party Leadership"
"Considering Strong Measures Depending on Trial Schedule"
The Democratic Party of Korea is intensifying its all-out pressure on the judiciary. The party has hinted at the possibility of actively pursuing the impeachment of Supreme Court Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae if the Seoul High Court does not postpone or cancel the retrial of presidential candidate Lee Jae Myung's violation of the Public Official Election Act, which is scheduled for the 15th, until after the presidential election. The Democratic Party has set the 12th, the official start date of the presidential campaign, as the 'deadline,' and has made it clear that if the trial schedule is not changed by then, it will mobilize all powers available to the legislature.
Lee Jae Myung, the Democratic Party presidential candidate (center in the photo), is attending the Buddha's Birthday celebration ceremony held on the 5th at Jogyesa Temple in Jongno-gu, Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News
Park Chan-dae, acting party leader and floor leader, who also serves as the standing co-chair of the election campaign committee, held a press conference on the steps in front of the main building of the National Assembly on the 5th with the 'Plaza Presidential Election United Politics Citizens' Alliance.' He stated, "The Yoon Suk Yeol rebellion forces are colluding with certain judicial cartels to try to destroy the most prominent presidential candidate, Lee Jae Myung," and added, "The Democratic Party will mobilize all the powers vested in the National Assembly to block the judicial coup and the remnants of the rebellion."
On the same day, Yoon Ho-jung, general director of the election committee, held a press conference and said, "If the High Court does not postpone the trial by the 12th, we will use all the powers granted to the legislature by the people to prevent the judicial coup from proceeding." Yoon also made it clear, "We are determined to stop the High Court's trial of candidate Lee Jae Myung," and added, "If there is interference, it would be an act of destroying the Constitution and obstructing the exercise of popular sovereignty, so the legislature will take punitive action on behalf of the people."
The Democratic Party clarified that, at the general assembly of lawmakers held the previous day, it did not suspend the impeachment of Chief Justice Cho, but rather delegated the decision to the party leadership.
The reason the Democratic Party is considering the extreme measure of impeachment against Chief Justice Cho is to prevent a verdict in the retrial before the 6·3 presidential election. If Lee Jae Myung is sentenced to lose his parliamentary seat in the retrial, it could be a fatal blow right before the presidential election.
From the 7th, Democratic Party lawmakers plan to hold daily relay press conferences in front of the Seoul High Court, continuing their public criticism of the judiciary.
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