The presidential office said Tuesday that the public will harshly judge the abuse of impeachment powers by the main opposition with its majority in the National Assembly.

Speaking to KBS after the Constitutional Court unanimously rejected interior minister Lee Sang-min's impeachment over the deadly Itaewon crowd crush, a presidential official said the impeachment system exists to defend free democracy and constitutional order.

The official went on to say that in Lee's case, the opposition abused that power, and such unconstitutional acts will be subject to the stern judgment of the public.

When the opposition-controlled National Assembly passed the impeachment motion in early February, the top office blasted the move, saying it will go down as a humiliating event in the nation's parliamentary history.

Following the court's rejection, minister Lee immediately returned to his post. He is scheduled to inspect heavy rain damage in Cheongyang County, South Chungcheong Province.