South Korea’s main opposition party on Monday threatened to impeach Acting President Han Duk-soo if he failed to approve legislation to launch a special counsel investigation into President Yoon Suk Yeol’s failed attempt to impose martial law. Will be run.
Prime Minister Han took over from the suspended Yun, who was impeached on December 14 and faces a Constitutional Court review to remove him from office.
With a majority in Parliament, the opposition Democratic Party (DP) this month passed a bill to pursue rebellion charges against the conservative Yun and appoint a special prosecutor to investigate his wife over the luxury bag scandal and other charges. Did.
The party, which has accused Han of aiding Yun’s martial law effort and reported him to police, said it would “immediately initiate impeachment proceedings” against the acting president if the law was not implemented by Tuesday. .
Democratic Party floor leader Park Chan-dae said at a party meeting, “The delay shows that the prime minister has no intention of following the Constitution, and is tantamount to admitting that he is acting as a proxy for the rebel.” Working as.” Like this.
Han is a technocrat who has held leadership roles in South Korean politics for 30 years under conservative and liberal presidents. Yun appointed him prime minister in 2022.
Han’s office could not immediately be reached for comment. He previously said that he had tried to stop Yun’s martial law declaration, but apologized for failing to do so.
Park also accused Yoon of obstructing the Constitutional Court trial by repeatedly refusing to accept court documents primarily intended to inform Yoon of the start of the trial.
“Any delay in the investigation and impeachment trial is an expansion of the rebellion and an act of plotting a second conspiracy,” Park said.
Yun’s ruling People’s Power Party accused the DP of pursuing “impeachment politics” and holding Han’s political fortunes “hostage” through the special counsel despite multiple ongoing investigations.
A spokesman for the Constitutional Court said on Monday that it had decided to consider the President’s Office’s refusal to receive the documents until delivery is complete and to proceed with the trial.
A joint investigation team including police and the Office of Corruption Investigation of High-Ranking Officials made a second attempt to summon Yoon for questioning on December 25, although it was unclear whether he would appear.
Seok Dong-hyeon, a lawyer who helped form Yoon’s defense team, told reporters on Monday that he was not delaying the trial but needed time to prepare, and would respond to any investigations after a decision on impeachment is made. .
National Police Agency investigation chief Woo Jong-soo told parliament on Monday that police had twice tried to raid Yoon’s office but were blocked from entry by the Presidential Security Service. Wu said his team has sent a request to preserve the evidence, including a secure phone server.