SEOUL, December 15 (AJP) - Lee Jae-myung, leader of South Korea’s biggest Democratic Party, on Sunday proposed the creation of a bipartisan policy consultative body to stabilize the nation quickly following the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol.
Lee also announced a temporary pause on impeachment proceedings against Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, who became acting president automatically after Yoon's impeachment.
Speaking at a press conference at the National Assembly, Lee underscored the urgency of restoring order.
“Normalizing the country is our most urgent priority,” Lee said. “The Democratic Party will work with the government and all political parties to stabilize governance and rebuild public trust.”
Lee also pointed to the nation’s economic vulnerabilities and urged vigilance. “Financial and foreign exchange agencies must operate on a 24-hour monitoring basis,” he said. “The party will fully cooperate with others to stabilize markets and safeguard investments.”
On the contentious issue of impeaching Han Duck-soo for his role in Yoon's declaration of martial law on Dec. 3, Lee acknowledged calls for his impeachment but urged restraint. “Many believe Acting President Han should also be held accountable for this crisis. However, as he is now the acting head of state, further impeachment risks exacerbating the governance vacuum. For now, we’ve decided to hold off.”
Lee added that he had spoken directly with Han, urging him to govern from a position of neutrality. “I asked him to act independently of political affiliations, and he agreed,” Lee said.
Lee also called on the Constitutional Court to speed up its review of Yoon’s impeachment. “Speeding up this process is essential to reducing national uncertainty,” he said. “A thorough investigation into the causes of this crisis is necessary to prevent its recurrence.”
However, Rep. Kweon Seong-dong, floor leader of the conservative People Power Party, rebuffed Lee's offer for the creation of a bipartisan policy body.
“It is not right for the Democratic Party to act as if it is now the ruling party after the impeachment,” Kweon said. “The People Power Party remains the governing party, and we will continue to fulfill our responsibilities until the end of President Yoon’s term.”
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