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Culture minister urges DP to stop the impeachment of high-ranking officials

Published: 10 Dec. 2024, 18:57

YOON SO-YEON
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Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Yu In-chon gives a public address as the government spokesperson on Dec. 10 at the government complex in central Seoul. [YONHAP]

Culture Minister Yu In-chon urged members of the liberal Democratic Party (DP) to stop putting forward impeachment motions against high-ranking officials, requesting that they "show wisdom and restraint" amid the political turmoil.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Prime Minister's Secretariat jointly addressed the public on Tuesday afternoon after a plenary meeting at the National Assembly. The address comes a week after President Yoon Suk Yeol declared emergency martial law. The president also survived an impeachment motion on Saturday.

"Korea finds itself struggling through a hardship never before experienced in history," Minister Yu said in a public speech.

"For us to overcome this difficulty, the government must, at any and all times, function normally based on the law and constitutional law. [However,] the National Assembly put forward an impeachment motion against Minister of Justice Park Sung-jae and the Commissioner General of the Korean National Police Agency Cho Ji-ho for failing to stop the declaration of emergency martial law."

According to Yu, the DP is sabotaging the proper operation of the country by attempting to impeach almost 20 high-ranking officials, thereby "threatening the everyday lives of the people."

Protesters wave light sticks of various K-pop groups during a rally demanding President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment in front of the National Assembly in western Seoul on Dec. 8. [YONHAP]

A protest is held on Dec. 9 in Incheon, urging the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol. [YONHAP]

"We can only maintain the Korea-U.S. and Korea-U.S.-Japan bond and the trust of other allied countries by stopping a situation where normal state operations become difficult," Yu said. "It is also the only way that our economy and livelihood can get through this."

"We plead with the utmost sincerity to the opposition party. It is a calm constitutionalism that will save the people from this age of uncertainty. We ask that [the opposition party] please show the wisdom and restraint as the party that owns the majority of seats at the National Assembly so that legal procedures take place based on constitutionalism, and the government can concentrate on running the country."

The Culture Ministry has been making efforts to ensure foreigners that it is safe to travel to Korea. The ministry issued official letters to foreign agencies on Dec. 4 reassuring travelers that everything is safe, while Yu emphasized that "the government would do its utmost for the safety and convenience of all visitors" to Korea during the Korea-Japan tourism business forum held on Monday.

President Yoon abruptly declared emergency martial law at around 10 p.m. on Dec. 3, which was called off six hours later after the National Assembly voted to lift the order at around 1 a.m. on Dec. 4.

BY YOON SO-YEON [[email protected]]