Seoul: The opposition-controlled National Assembly has taken a significant step by passing impeachment motions against the chief state auditor and three top prosecutors. This decision comes amid investigations related to the relocation of the presidential office and alleged misconduct involving first lady Kim Keon Hee.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the impeachment motions target Board of Audit and Inspection (BAI) Chair Choe Jae-hae, along with Lee Chang-soo, chief of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office, and prosecutors Cho Sang-won and Choi Jae-hun. With the passage of these motions, all four officials face suspension from their duties until the Constitutional Court makes a ruling on their impeachment. Notably, this marks the first instance of a BAI chief being impeached by the National Assembly.
The motions were overwhelmingly passed with votes of 188-4 against Choe, 185-3 against Lee, 187-4 against Cho, and 186-4 against Choi. Members of the ruling People Power Party (PPP) chose to boycott t
he voting process. Choe Jae-hae is accused by the opposition of inadequately reviewing alleged irregularities concerning the 2022 relocation of the presidential office, which was a part of President Yoon Suk Yeol’s campaign promises. The three prosecutors are accused of failing to indict the first lady over her alleged role in a stock price manipulation scheme.
Prosecutor General Shim Woo-jung expressed his disappointment over the passage of the motions, stating, “We are at a very critical time now. I find it very regrettable that the impeachment was handled unilaterally at such a time.”
The voting on these impeachment motions, initially scheduled for Wednesday, was postponed following President Yoon’s brief declaration of martial law. The main opposition Democratic Party (DP) initially opted to delay the impeachments to focus on a motion against Yoon for his martial law decree. However, the DP reversed its stance on Thursday after the PPP officially decided to oppose Yoon’s impeachment.
Subsequently, the
DP and other opposition parties adopted a resolution calling for the prompt arrest of former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun, Interior Minister Lee Sang-min, and Army Chief of Staff Gen. Park An-su, who were named to lead the short-lived martial law command. They also called for the arrest of police chief Cho Ji-ho and other officials involved in the martial law declaration during an emergency meeting at the National Assembly.
Ruling party lawmakers exited the session in protest, denouncing the opposition’s portrayal of the martial law situation as “a clear act of anti-state treason.” President Yoon’s unexpected declaration of martial law occurred late Tuesday night, followed by a martial decree from Gen. Park, which prohibited political party activities and assemblies.