At a Supreme Council meeting held at the tent headquarters in Gwanghwamun, Seoul on the 24th, Lee said, "It is a (constitutional) decision, so we cannot help but respect it," but pointed out, "I don't know if the public will understand." Representative Lee criticized, "People are punished and sanctioned if they violate the provisions, whether it is the Criminal Law or the Food Sanitation Law," adding, "Is the acting president forgiving if he violates his constitutional obligations explicitly and intentionally?" He then raised his voice, saying, "The people will judge on this point."
He stressed that the date for the impeachment trial of President Yoon should be set as soon as possible. Representative Lee said, "It is hard to understand that the Constitutional Court continues to postpone the sentencing date in a severe situation where martial law may begin again," adding, "A physical civil war situation is predicted beyond psychological civil war." Opposition parties are increasingly pressing the Constitutional Court. "If necessary, let's resign and hold another general election," said Lee Eon-joo, a supreme council member of the Democratic Party. "If even the judiciary is passive in protecting the constitution, would that be the only way?"
However, there is also an atmosphere of embarrassment within the opposition party. Some in the non-Lee Jae-myung (screaming) community even suggested that there should be reflection on the "jul-impeachment." Former Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum said on Facebook, "It is painful to point out that it was a hasty impeachment," and pointed out, "The Democratic Party leadership should feel a heavy responsibility."
Despite such criticism, the leadership did not budge from its tough stance. Rather, Han pressured the acting president to appoint Ma Eun-hyuk, a candidate for constitutional judge, and start the process of recommending a permanent special prosecutor. Choi Sang-mok reaffirmed that he would push for the impeachment of Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs and Minister of Strategy and Finance. Park Chan-dae, the floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, said, "We urge you to resolve the absence of constitutional judges who have been judged unconstitutional and immediately request the recommendation of a permanent special prosecutor in accordance with the law." He threatened that it would be difficult to operate a parliamentary consultative body if the Democratic Party of Korea did not accept the demand.
There was no self-reflection for a series of impeachment dismissals. Cho Seung-rae, the Democratic Party's chief spokesman, said, "The exercise of the right to veto is 40 times, including the acting president," adding, "Would it have been possible to impeach the president if he had not staged an unconstitutional or illegal coup?" Regarding the impact on President Yoon's impeachment trial, he said, "Heonjae did not judge the president's rebellion," adding that there would be no obstacle.
On the other hand, the power of the people was interpreted as the Constitutional Court's warning against the opposition's "legislative violence." Lee has raised the level of his offensive to the extent that he has demanded his retirement from politics. It is an attempt to gain the upper hand in the public opinion battle by reversing the atmosphere that has been on the defensive throughout the impeachment process.
Expectations are rising in the ruling party that President Yoon's impeachment will also be rejected. Kwon Young-se, chairman of the People's Power Emergency Response Committee, held a press conference and evaluated it as a result that the Democratic Party of Korea, which pushed for the impeachment, expected. Kwon, chairman of the emergency committee, said, "If the trial continues and the review is conducted properly, we carefully expect that the results of the president's impeachment can be interpreted positively." Kwon Sung-dong, floor leader of the People's Power Party, said, "Give the people a great apology for paralyzing the state administration for 87 days with rough-and-ready impeachment for political purposes, even though you know you will be dismissed."
The ruling camp's Jamryongs added firepower to Lee Jae-myung's theory of responsibility. Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon said on Facebook, "Representative Lee should apologize to the public for the confusion of the parliamentary paralysis," and former People's Power Party Chairman Han Dong-hoon said, "Representative Lee and the Democratic Party should lie down and apologize that they will no longer impeach the people." Representative Lee, who led the unprovoked impeachment, has already lost his political leadership status, said Representative of the People's Power of Ahn Cheol Soo. "He should kneel in front of the people and apologize and take responsibility for his retirement from politics."
Meanwhile, the president's office said on the Constitutional Court's decision, "We welcome the decision to dismiss the impeachment case against Acting President Han," adding, "Today's decision proved that the abuse of impeachment at the National Assembly was a reckless and malicious political offensive." He then declined to comment on the impeachment trial of President Yoon, saying, "I expect his return to office to be the starting point for normalization of state affairs."
[Reporter SUNG SEUNG HUN / Reporter Kim Myung Hwan / Reporter Ahn Jung Kyung / Reporter Woo Je Yoon]
