Acting President refuses to appoint Constitutional Court justices without parliamentary consensus

By Im Yoon-seo Posted : December 26, 2024, 15:47 Updated : December 26, 2024, 15:49
Acting President Han Duck-soo speaks during a nationwide address at the Government Complex in Seoul on Dec. 26, 2024. Yonhap
SEOUL, December 26 (AJP) - Acting President Han Duck-soo said on Thursday that he will not appoint justices to fill vacancies at the Constitutional Court of Korea unless the National Assembly reaches an agreement granting him the authority to do so.

"Under the inherent spirit of the Constitution, an acting president should refrain from exercising presidential power including appointments," said Han during a nationwide address in Seoul.

"If such power must be exercised, it should only be based on parliamentary agreement. If both parties agree, I'm willing to appoint the justices immediately," he added.

His remarks were made amid growing pressure from the main opposition Democratic Party (DP), which called for the appointment of the justice nominees, threatening his impeachment if he did not comply.

The DP has been pushing to fill the court's three vacant seats, as it currently has only six sitting justices out of the nine, requiring a unanimous decision to uphold Yoon's impeachment.

But the ruling People Power Party (PPP) argued that an acting president is not entitled to make such decisions and should prioritize national stability.

Shortly after Han's address, the DP decided to submit a motion to impeach him.

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