SEOUL, April 08 (AJP) - South Korea’s main opposition party vowed Tuesday to seek legal action to block acting President Han Duck-soo’s appointment of two Constitutional Court justices.
Earlier on Tuesday, Han announced that he would nominate Lee Wan-kyu, the current minister of government legislation, and Ham Sang-hun, a judge on the Seoul High Court, to fill the upcoming vacancies, with two sitting justices, Moon Hyung-bae and Lee Mi-son, scheduled to retire on April 18.
The Democratic Party (DP) called it an “unconstitutional abuse of power," arguing that Han lacks the authority to make such nominations.
The party said it is completely unacceptable to nominate Lee Wan-kyu, saying he has already been reported to the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials on charges of insurrection.
DP leader Lee Jae-myung echoed the concerns, accusing Han of overstepping his mandate as acting head of state.
National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik joined the chorus of criticism, calling on Han to withdraw the nominations. Woo also announced that the legislature would not proceed with confirmation hearings for the two candidates.
The controversy adds to an already tense political atmosphere following the Constitutional Court's decision to oust Yoon Suk Yeol from office on April 4. Critics argue that Han’s authority is limited and does not extend to judicial appointments.
In a separate statement, the minor Rebuilding Korea Party called for a renewed impeachment motion against Han, urging the National Assembly to “use every legal means” to halt what it characterized as reckless overreach by the acting president.
reporter
Im Yoon-seo
lyseo0330@ajupress.com
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