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Acting president appoints 2 Constitutional Court justices

Published: 31 Dec. 2024, 18:28 Updated: 31 Dec. 2024, 19:39

LIM JEONG-WON
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Acting President Choi Sang-mok strikes the gavel to open a Cabinet meeting held at the Seoul Government Complex Seoul in Jongno District, central Seoul on Dec. 31. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

Acting President Choi Sang-mok appointed two of the three candidates for Constitutional Court justices on Tuesday.

Choi made the announcement at a Cabinet meeting held at the Seoul government complex in the afternoon.

Jeong Gye-son, a liberal-leaning candidate, had been recommended by the liberal Democratic Party (DP), while Jo Han-chang, a conservative-leaning figure, was recommended by the People Power Party (PPP). Choi said that he could appoint the third DP-recommended candidate, Ma Eun-hyeok, if the PPP and DP reach an agreement.

“As the acting president, I decided to appoint the Constitutional Court justices because I need to end political uncertainty and social conflict as soon as possible and block the possibility of an economic and livelihood crisis,” said Choi in his opening remarks.

With the appointments of the new justices, the process to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol in the Constitutional Court is likely to begin in earnest.

The National Assembly also held its last plenary session of the year on Tuesday and officially launched a special investigation committee to probe insurrection allegations against Yoon, 28 days after he declared martial law on Dec. 3.

The handling of major bills related to the economy, including the Semiconductor Special Act — which have been long-awaited by related industries — collapsed as the liberal and conservative parties failed to agree.

The investigation plan by the special investigation committee on suspicions of insurrection against Yoon was passed in the DP-controlled parliament with 191 lawmakers voting in favor, 71 against and 23 abstentions out of 285 members present.

The committee, chaired by DP Rep. Ahn Gyu-back, will operate for 45 days from Tuesday, and if additional time is necessary, the period can be extended by another plenary session resolution.

The scope of the investigation covers 15 suspicions, including whether there was a preliminary conspiracy before the declaration of martial law on Dec. 3, whether the Cabinet deliberated before the declaration was made and its legality, and acts that obstructed the National Assembly’s decision to lift martial law.

The targets of investigation include the presidential office, the Ministry of National Defense, and National Police Agency, the National Election Commission and the National Assembly.

The special investigation committee plans to conduct the probe through the gathering of reports from relevant organizations, the submission of documents, on-site investigations and the questioning of witnesses. The committee will also consider summoning Yoon as a witness. There is a possibility that there will be a tug-of-war between the PPP and DP over witnesses.

The plenary session also handled 32 bills on Tuesday, including the Special Act on the Statute of Limitations for State Crimes Against Human Rights, proposed by the DP as a party platform that was passed under with the DP's majority despite opposition from the PPP.

The bill’s main points include abolishing the statute of limitations for state crimes against human rights and not applying the statute of limitations to the victim’s right to claim damages.

Before the vote, PPP Rep. Cho Bae-sook, who appeared as a dissenting debater, expressed concern that “the bill in question could actually suppress the human rights of investigative officials,” and requested that the acting president exercise his right to veto it.

The Local Education Finance Subsidy Act Amendment, which includes a provision to extend the special provision for supporting free high school education with national funds for three years until 2027, was also processed by the DP despite opposition from the PPP.

In addition, the Urban and Housing Environment Improvement Act Amendment, which eases the mandatory consent rate for the establishment of a union for Reconstruction projects from 75 percent to 70 percent, passed the plenary session.

The Semiconductors Special Act failed to even pass out of the subcommittee level of the relevant standing committee as the ruling and opposition parties failed to narrow their differences over the addition of a clause that makes an exception to the 52-hour workweek regulation for high-salary research and development roles.

A DP lawmaker argued that “the relevant regulation should be established through a revision of the Labor Standards Act, not through a special law.”

Related industries and the business sector are demanding that bills be processed first at the extraordinary session of the National Assembly in January.

BY LIM JEONG-WON,WI MOON-HEE [[email protected]]