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Rival Camps Clash over Acting President’s Right to Appoint Constitutional Court Justice

Written: 2024-12-17 15:31:13Updated: 2024-12-17 15:48:13

Rival Camps Clash over Acting President’s Right to Appoint Constitutional Court Justice

Photo : YONHAP News

Rival camps have clashed over the question of whether Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, who is concurrently serving as acting president, can exercise the right to appoint Constitutional Court justices.

The debate comes as three seats are vacant on the nine-member court, which is handling President Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment case.

The ruling People Power Party’s acting chief and floor leader, Kweon Seong-dong, said Tuesday that the acting president cannot appoint a Constitutional Court justice while the president’s duties are suspended. 

Kweon said unless the court upholds Yoon’s impeachment, it is impossible for Han to appoint a justice, citing a previous case in which acting President Hwang Kyo-ahn appointed a Constitutional Court justice only after the Constitutional Court upheld the impeachment of President Park Geun-hye in March 2017. 

Kweon said at the time, the main opposition Democratic Party denounced Hwang and accused him of undermining democracy.

Meanwhile, Democratic Party floor leader Park Chan-dae said the president only needs to approve appointments once the National Assembly recommends candidates for the three vacant seats. 

Park said his party will speedily pursue the appointment of the three justices, calling on the ruling party to abandon its efforts to delay Yoon’s impeachment trial.

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