PPP interim leader urges Constitutional Court to be 'fair' in Yoon impeachment trial

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PPP interim leader urges Constitutional Court to be 'fair' in Yoon impeachment trial

Published: 17 Feb. 2025, 18:19 Updated: 18 Feb. 2025, 10:33

MICHAEL LEE
[email protected]

Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

Rep. Kwon Young-se, interim leader of the conservative People Power Party, speaks at a debate hosted by the Gwanhun Club at the Press Center in Jung District, central Seoul, on Feb. 17. [YONHAP]

The interim leader of the conservative People Power Party (PPP) on Monday called on the Constitutional Court to be “fair” in handling President Yoon Suk Yeol’s ongoing impeachment trial, echoing concerns of bias raised by PPP officials in recent days.

Speaking at a debate hosted by the Gwanhun Club, a senior journalists’ association, Rep. Kwon Young-se characterized the court as “appearing to rush to a pre-determined verdict” despite “discrepancies between the testimonies of key figures” involved in the president’s short-lived martial law declaration on Dec. 3.

Kwon’s claims echoed those of the president’s legal defense team, who have urged the Constitutional Court to take more time to “resolve inconsistencies” between witness statements presented at the eight trial hearings held thus far.

Two more hearings are currently scheduled for Tuesday and Thursday this week.

Kwon also pointed to a recent public opinion survey showing a record lack of trust in the Constitutional Court as a sign that the justices should adjust their approach to Yoon’s impeachment.

“One cannot help but worry that the verdict will lead not to a conclusion of the controversy, but rather to greater political conflict,” he said, adding that he “respectfully calls on the justices to manage the trial in a fair manner so that the people can accept their decision.”

The poll referenced by Kwon, which was conducted by Gallup Korea the previous week, found that 52 percent of respondents trust the Constitutional Court against 40 percent who said the opposite.

However, mistrust of the court was much higher among individuals opposed to the president’s impeachment, with some 84 percent saying they lacked confidence that the justices would judge the case impartially.

The PPP interim leader also pushed back against recent speculation that Yoon could voluntarily resign before the outcome of his impeachment trial is announced, calling such suggestions “inappropriate” and “unrealistic.”

“I do not think his resignation would necessarily resolve all these issues, regardless of whether it is legally and constitutionally possible,” he said.

Speculation that the president could step down has mounted since members of his legal defense team said that it could “make a major decision” soon.

Kwon emphasized that the choice to resign would be up to Yoon alone, not his lawyers, while noting that this possibility “is not realistically being considered.”

However, Kwon pointedly declined to defend Yoon’s decision to declare martial law, characterizing it as a “clear mistake” and “excessive measure.”

The PPP interim leader appeared to strike a more moderate tone than other key figures in his party, who have regularly lambasted the Constitutional Court for making procedural decisions in the trial that they perceive as disadvantageous to the president.

From left: Reps. Yoon Sang-hyun, Na Kyung-won and Kim Gi-hyeon stand alongside 37 other lawmakers from the People Power Party in front of the Constitutional Court in Jongno District, central Seoul, where they lodged a complaint against the justices' management of President Yoon Suk Yeol's ongoing impeachment trial on Feb. 17. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

Those decisions include admitting the prosecution’s interrogation records of some witnesses as evidence and declining to hear testimony from some officials selected by the presidents’ lawyers.

On Monday, a group of 40 PPP lawmakers paid their fourth visit to the court’s secretary general this year to lodge a complaint regarding the justices’ management of Yoon’s impeachment trial.

Members of the delegation included Reps. Yoon Sang-hyun, Na Kyung-won and Kim Gi-hyeon, who are considered to be the president’s strongest supporters within the PPP.

Political observers believe that the PPP’s attacks on the court are intended to consolidate the party’s support among conservatives ahead of a potential early presidential race that would take place if the court decides to dismiss Yoon.

However, some within the party have expressed concern that the party’s rhetoric against the court could undermine overall public confidence in the country’s justice system.

BY MICHAEL LEE [[email protected]]