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Justice minister, national police chief impeachment motion approved

Published: 12 Dec. 2024, 15:43 Updated: 12 Dec. 2024, 16:02

SEO JI-EUN
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Justice Minister Park Sung-jae returns to his seat during a plenary session of the National Assembly's judiciary committee on Wednesday, addressing inquiries related to the martial law declared last week. [YONHAP]

The National Assembly on Thursday approved impeachment motions against Justice Minister Park Sung-jae and National Police Commissioner General Cho Ji-ho, following a controversial martial law declaration plan.

Conducted with a secret ballot, the results of the vote indicate that some lawmakers from President Yoon Suk Yeol's People Power Party (PPP) may have voted in favor of the motions despite the party's official opposition.

Out of 295 lawmakers present, the impeachment motion against Park was approved with 195 votes in favor and 100 against. This is the first time in Korea's constitutional history that an impeachment motion against a justice minister has been passed.

The impeachment motion against Cho also passed, with 202 votes in favor, 88 against, one abstention and four invalid votes. This is the first case of an impeachment motion being filed and approved against a police chief.

Both officials will be suspended from their duties as soon as the National Assembly delivers the impeachment resolutions.

The Democratic Party (DP), which proposed the motions, accused Park of participating in a cabinet meeting that they claimed was directly linked to Yoon's martial law declaration plan, held shortly before Yoon declared in a televised address. The DP described this as an act of treason.

They also alleged that the Ministry of Justice, under Park’s leadership, preemptively procured detention facilities for individuals expected to be arrested during the implementation of martial law, further implicating him in planning and executing unconstitutional activities.

For Cho, the DP accused him of abusing his authority by blocking lawmakers’ access to the National Assembly during the martial law period. This action, they argued, violated lawmakers’ constitutional right to request the lifting of martial law and effectively obstructed the Assembly's legislative functions.

The DP further characterized Cho’s actions as participation in a rebellion against constitutional order.

The PPP officially opposed both impeachment motions, adopting a party platform against their passage. However, the secret ballot results suggest that some PPP lawmakers defied party lines and voted in favor of the motions, reflecting divisions within the party.

BY SEO JI-EUN [[email protected]]