Nat’l Assembly votes in favor of appointment of 3 Constitutional Court judge nominees

The opposition-controlled National Assembly on Thursday voted in favor of the appointment of three Constitutional Court justice nominees, but prospects for their final appointment are uncertain as acting President Han Duck-soo resisted pressure to promptly appoint them.

Most lawmakers from the ruling People Power Party (PPP) did not join the parliamentary vote on the appointment of the three new judges.

Shortly before the National Assembly voted for the three new judges, Han told a public address that he will not appoint justices to the Constitutional Court until the rival parties agree on whether he has the authority to do so before an impeachment ruling on President Yoon Suk Yeol.

In response, the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) submitted an impeachment motion against Han on Thursday and plans to put it up for a vote at an upcoming parliamentary plenary session a day later, in a move that would further deepen the political turmoil after Yoon’s impeachment on Dec. 14 over his failed martial law bid.

If appointed, the three nominees will fill vacancies on the court’s nine-member bench, where six justices are currently seated, to deliberate Yoon’s impeachment trial. By law, at least six votes are required to uphold an impeachment motion.

The DP earlier pushed ahead with the confirmation hearings for the nominees — Ma Eun-hyuk, Jeong Gye-seon, both of whom are nominated by the DP, and Cho Han-chang, recommended by the PPP.

The motions passed the Assembly in a 193-0 vote for Ma, 193-1 vote for Jeong and 185-6 vote for Cho, without the participation of PPP lawmakers.

The DP has called on Han to appoint the justices without delay if the motions pass the plenary session, saying it will propose an impeachment motion against Han if he refuses.

The PPP, however, has argued that Han lacks presidential authority to make the appointments and has vowed to file a suit with the Constitutional Court seeking an injunction if he proceeds.

The DP also reported Han’s impeachment motion to the session. The party plans to put the motion up for a vote during a plenary session on Friday.

By law, an impeachment motion must be put to a vote between 24 and 72 hours after it is reported to a plenary session.