“TRUE COLOURS”
At the heart of the current row is the composition of the Constitutional Court, which will decide whether to uphold parliament’s decision to impeach Yoon.
The court is currently 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 deadlock.
Han’s refusal to formally appoint the three judges “revealed his true colours”, said Democratic Party lawmaker Jo Seoung-lae.
The refusal “is a direct challenge to the Constitution and the law”, said Jo, adding the party would seek to impeach Han to “restore constitutional order and stabilise state affairs”.
Han has said that he would certify the judges’ appointments only if his ruling People Power Party (PPP) 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,” Han argued.
“A consensus between the ruling and opposition parties in the National Assembly, representing the people, must first be reached,” added the 75-year-old career bureaucrat.
Despite the conflicts, the Constitutional Court held its first preliminary hearing on Friday on the validity of Yoon’s impeachment.
The suspended president’s legal team told AFP in a statement that attorneys and other representatives of Yoon “submitted their letters of representation to the Constitutional Court in the morning (of Friday) and will attend the preparatory hearing for the impeachment trial at 2pm (1pm, Singapore time)”.
Amid the political crisis, the South Korean won plummeted to KRW1480.2 per US dollar on Friday morning, marking its lowest level in nearly 16 years.
The won earlier plunged to a two-year low against the dollar after the declaration of martial law, as investors already concerned about the state of Asia’s number-four economy shunned the currency.
Police said on Friday that they have started to raid the presidential safe house and collect footage from nearby security cameras as part of the martial law probe.
