Eight impeachment attempts, eight failures: DP must take political responsibility

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Eight impeachment attempts, eight failures: DP must take political responsibility

Published: 14 Mar. 2025, 00:00

Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

On Dec. 5 of last year, the Democratic Party (DP) pushed for the impeachment of Choi Jae-hae, chairman of the Board of Audit and Inspection of Korea (BAI); Lee Chang-soo, chief prosecutor of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office; Jo Sang-won, deputy chief prosecutor of the same office; and Choi Jae-hoon, head of its anticorruption division. On Thursday, the Constitutional Court unanimously dismissed all four impeachment motions. The outcome had been widely expected since last month, when the court wrapped up the hearing for Chairman Choi in a single session and concluded proceedings for the three prosecutors after just two sessions. Impeachment is justified only when a public official is found to have committed a grave violation of the Constitution or the law. Yet, the DP manufactured charges against these officials simply because they did not yield to its political demands, recklessly weaponizing impeachment in the process. Given the lack of legal grounds, it was evident to the justices that these cases did not require extensive deliberation.

Constitutional Court justices take their seats at the main chamber at the court in central Seoul on March 13. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

In fact, the court rejected nearly every claim in the impeachment motion against Chairman Choi — including allegations of insufficient auditing of the presidential office relocation, targeted audits against former Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission Chairperson Jeon Hyun-hee, and audits related to the murder of a South Korean official in the Yellow Sea, the Itaewon crowd crush and the Wolseong nuclear power plant shutdown. Similarly, all charges against Chief Prosecutor Lee and his colleagues — including claims of prosecutorial overreach and the spread of false information in the investigation of first lady Kim Keon Hee’s alleged stock manipulation — were dismissed in their entirety. Since the launch of the Yoon Suk Yeol administration, the DP has submitted 29 impeachment motions, 13 of which were passed by the National Assembly, where the DP holds a majority. However, as of Thursday, eight of them have been dismissed in succession. It is difficult to escape the conclusion that the party has abused its legislative majority for political gain, showing a blatant disregard for legal standards.

Particularly troubling is that the impeachment motions against Chairman Choi and Chief Prosecutor Lee — reported to the National Assembly on Dec. 2 last year — set off a chain reaction that culminated in President Yoon’s declaration of martial law the very next day. While nothing can justify the imposition of martial law, the DP cannot evade responsibility for pushing the country’s politics to such a perilous brink through its reckless impeachment campaigns. For over three months, the party paralyzed key government institutions, including the BAI and the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office, yet it has shown no remorse or accountability. This flagrant lack of reflection is deeply troubling. If the DP aspires to be recognized as a responsible ruling party, it must first acknowledge and atone for its missteps.

The DP’s serial impeachment attempts have also exposed a serious flaw in the current system: the automatic suspension of officials’ duties upon passing an impeachment motion in the National Assembly. If amending the Constitution is not feasible at present, supplementary measures should be considered to expedite the impeachment trial process and mitigate unnecessary disruptions. The fact that all four of Thursday’s Constitutional Court rulings were unanimous is also noteworthy. Despite differences in judicial philosophy among the justices, the rulings underscore that cases with clear legal merit are decided based on principles, not political bias. However, it would be a mistake to draw direct parallels between these rulings and the impeachment case against President Yoon. The hope is that the Constitutional Court will render a legally sound and principled judgment in Yoon’s case — one that earns the confidence of all citizens.

Translated using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.