Fill the bench and revise the two special acts
Published: 30 Dec. 2024, 19:29
Korea is in a state of anomie, with rivaling parties engrossed in a power struggle following the president’s suspension over his failed attempt to enforce martial law.
The government run by substitutes faces a critical test in crisis management after the Jeju Air plane crash in Muan, South Jeolla, on Sunday. All the crisis management authorities — the presidential office, prime minister’s office, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety and National Policy Agency — have been under acting leadership or deputy management since the martial law event and the following series of leadership impeachments.
Choi Sang-mok, the deputy prime minister, has assumed the role of acting president after Prime Minister Han Duck-soo was impeached by the opposition-led legislative. Already strained by the spiraling economy, Choi is now forced to juggle three roles. At this rate, reliable state management is hardly feasible.
Even if a snap election takes place, a new government cannot be formed before summer at the earliest. Domestic demand is mired in the dumps due to sluggish consumption and investment and the currency value and stock prices continue to nosedive. The diplomatic, security and trade fronts are equally precarious, with U.S. President Donald Trump is set to return to office next month with a reinforced protectionist and America-first agenda. If the vegetative state persists for months, the country risks inviting a lasting catastrophe.
Politicians must act fast to prevent the country’s descent into a deeper crisis. The governing People Power Party (PPP) must allow acting President Choi to endorse opposition-nominated candidates for three vacant seats on the Constitutional Court bench. The impeachment trial on President Yoon Suk Yeol must be reviewed by a full bench of nine members of the Constitutional Court to ensure no room for later controversies. Legal scholars and experts agree that the acting president has the authority to make appointments to the top court. The PPP is making a suicidal choice if it is deliberately stalling the impeachment trial for its political interests.
The Democratic Party (DP) also must withhold using its impeachment firearm against Cabinet members and remove the sticking points in the bills for special investigations on the martial law incident and allegations related to the first lady. The police and prosecution already gathered sufficient evidence to charge the president with plotting insurrection.
A neutral counsel, one the governing party cannot dispute, could also easily pursue the case against the president. The investigation scope should be restricted to the martial law event to avoid stoking unnecessary political conflict.
The government run by substitutes faces a critical test in crisis management after the Jeju Air plane crash in Muan, South Jeolla, on Sunday. All the crisis management authorities — the presidential office, prime minister’s office, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety and National Policy Agency — have been under acting leadership or deputy management since the martial law event and the following series of leadership impeachments.
Choi Sang-mok, the deputy prime minister, has assumed the role of acting president after Prime Minister Han Duck-soo was impeached by the opposition-led legislative. Already strained by the spiraling economy, Choi is now forced to juggle three roles. At this rate, reliable state management is hardly feasible.
Even if a snap election takes place, a new government cannot be formed before summer at the earliest. Domestic demand is mired in the dumps due to sluggish consumption and investment and the currency value and stock prices continue to nosedive. The diplomatic, security and trade fronts are equally precarious, with U.S. President Donald Trump is set to return to office next month with a reinforced protectionist and America-first agenda. If the vegetative state persists for months, the country risks inviting a lasting catastrophe.
Politicians must act fast to prevent the country’s descent into a deeper crisis. The governing People Power Party (PPP) must allow acting President Choi to endorse opposition-nominated candidates for three vacant seats on the Constitutional Court bench. The impeachment trial on President Yoon Suk Yeol must be reviewed by a full bench of nine members of the Constitutional Court to ensure no room for later controversies. Legal scholars and experts agree that the acting president has the authority to make appointments to the top court. The PPP is making a suicidal choice if it is deliberately stalling the impeachment trial for its political interests.
The Democratic Party (DP) also must withhold using its impeachment firearm against Cabinet members and remove the sticking points in the bills for special investigations on the martial law incident and allegations related to the first lady. The police and prosecution already gathered sufficient evidence to charge the president with plotting insurrection.
A neutral counsel, one the governing party cannot dispute, could also easily pursue the case against the president. The investigation scope should be restricted to the martial law event to avoid stoking unnecessary political conflict.
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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