South Korea’s opposition yesterday said that it has filed an impeachment motion against Acting South Korean President Han Duck-soo, in an escalating row over the composition of the South Korean Constitutional Court, which is to decide whether to remove his predecessor from office.
The nation fell into a political crisis when South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol, currently suspended, declared martial law on Dec. 3.
Yoon was stripped of his duties by parliament on Dec. 14 over the declaration, but a court ruling upholding the decision by lawmakers is necessary to complete the impeachment process.
Photo: AP
However, the court is short of three judges. While it can go ahead with its six members on the bench, a single dissenting vote would reinstate Yoon.
The opposition wants Han to approve three more nominees to fill the nine-member bench, something that he has so far refused to do, essentially leaving both sides in a deadlock.
The opposition Democratic Party said that the acting president should be impeached, too.
“We have filed the motion ... and will report it to the plenary session today,” Democratic Party member Park Sung-joon told reporters at the South Korean National Assembly of the action against Han. “We will put it to a vote tomorrow [today].”
Han’s refusal to appoint the three judges proves that he “does not have the will or qualification to uphold the constitution,” Democratic Party floor leader Park Chan-dae told reporters.
Han has said that he would certify the judges’ appointments only if his ruling People Power Party and the opposition reach a compromise on the nominees.
“The consistent principle embedded in our constitution and laws is to refrain from exercising significant exclusive presidential powers, including the appointment of constitutional institutions,” he said. “A consensus between the ruling and opposition parties in the National Assembly, representing the people, must first be reached.”
If the opposition passes the impeachment motion against Han, it would mark the first time South Korea has impeached an acting president.
In Han’s place, South Korean Minister of Finance Choi Sang-mok would step in as acting president.
AIR DEFENSE: The Norwegian missile system has proved highly effective in Ukraine in its war against Russia, and the US has recommended it for Taiwan, an expert said The Norwegian Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS) Taiwan ordered from the US would be installed in strategically important positions in Taipei and New Taipei City to guard the region, the Ministry of National Defense said in statement yesterday. The air defense system would be deployed in Taipei’s Songshan District (松山) and New Taipei City’s Tamsui District (淡水), the ministry said, adding that the systems could be delivered as soon as the end of this year. The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency has previously said that three NASAMS would be sold to Taiwan. The weapons are part of the 17th US arms sale to
SERIOUS ALLEGATIONS: The suspects formed spy networks and paramilitary groups to kill government officials during a possible Chinese invasion, prosecutors said Prosecutors have indicted seven retired military officers, members of the Rehabilitation Alliance Party, for allegedly obtaining funds from China, and forming paramilitary groups and assassination squads in Taiwan to collaborate with Chinese troops in a possible war. The suspects contravened the National Security Act (國家安全法) by taking photos and drawing maps of key radar stations, missile installations and the American Institute in Taiwan’s headquarters in Taipei, prosecutors said. They allegedly prepared to collaborate with China during a possible invasion of Taiwan, prosecutors said. Retired military officer Chu Hung-i (屈宏義), 62, a Republic of China Army Academy graduate, went to China
INSURRECTION: The NSB said it found evidence the CCP was seeking snipers in Taiwan to target members of the military and foreign organizations in the event of an invasion The number of Chinese spies prosecuted in Taiwan has grown threefold over a four-year period, the National Security Bureau (NSB) said in a report released yesterday. In 2021 and 2022, 16 and 10 spies were prosecuted respectively, but that number grew to 64 last year, it said, adding that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) was working with gangs in Taiwan to develop a network of armed spies. Spies in Taiwan have on behalf of the CCP used a variety of channels and methods to infiltrate all sectors of the country, and recruited Taiwanese to cooperate in developing organizations and obtaining sensitive information
BREAKTHROUGH: The US is making chips on par in yield and quality with Taiwan, despite people saying that it could not happen, the official said Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) has begun producing advanced 4-nanometer (nm) chips for US customers in Arizona, US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo said, a milestone in the semiconductor efforts of the administration of US President Joe Biden. In November last year, the commerce department finalized a US$6.6 billion grant to TSMC’s US unit for semiconductor production in Phoenix, Arizona. “For the first time ever in our country’s history, we are making leading edge 4-nanometer chips on American soil, American workers — on par in yield and quality with Taiwan,” Raimondo said, adding that production had begun in recent
RSS