Reform Party leaders have declared a strong response against the ruling coalition's push to impeach Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae, proposing a united front with the People Power Party.
Lee Gi-in, the head of the Reform Party's emergency committee, made the announcement during a meeting at the National Assembly, stating, "I publicly propose to the main opposition party, the People Power Party, to join forces on this matter."
He criticized the impeachment initiative, noting that Kim Jun-hyung, the floor leader of the Justice Reform Party, had delivered a motion for impeachment to Han Byeong-do, the floor leader of the Democratic Party, and requested joint action. Lee argued that the essence of this impeachment effort is to quickly bring the judiciary under the influence of political power.
"This is not just about removing Cho Hee-dae; it sends a warning to the entire judiciary that anyone who makes unfavorable judgments could lose their position," he emphasized.
Lee urged the People Power Party to take collective action if the Democratic Party and the Justice Reform Party formally propose the impeachment motion, stating, "We will engage in a nationwide signature campaign and, if necessary, adopt more aggressive forms of protest."
He called for cooperation among opposition parties, saying, "Let us unite beyond our differences to prevent the abuse of power and protect democracy."
Currently, there is a growing sentiment within the ruling coalition to impeach Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae.
On October 20, the Justice Reform Party held a press conference, urging the Democratic Party, the Progressive Party, the Basic Income Party, and the Social Democratic Party to finalize the impeachment motion by October 31. They also proposed forming a joint task force for the impeachment effort and holding a joint meeting of lawmakers from the five parties.
The Democratic Party leadership is also keeping the possibility of impeachment open. Kim Min-seok, the leader of the Democratic Party, appeared on the party's official YouTube channel, "Democratic Party TV," stating that the demand for impeachment has increased compared to before.
Kim noted, "We have consistently pointed out that Chief Justice Cho has violated many aspects of the Constitution and laws." However, he added, "Public consent and agreement are crucial for impeachment."
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.