Cho Kuk Innovation Party unveils impeachment motion against Chief Justice Cho Hee-de
In short
On 19 October the Cho Kuk Innovation Party (조국혁신당) unveiled an impeachment motion against Chief Justice Cho Hee-de, its second, and urged the Democratic Party to join a joint task force and joint caucus. The Democratic Party leadership said it would gather opinion and discuss the matter after the National Assembly audit, while the People Power Party opposed the move.
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The Cho Kuk Innovation Party (조국혁신당) unveiled an impeachment motion against Chief Justice Cho Hee-de on 19 October. Party leader Shin Jang-sik announced it at a supreme council meeting held in front of the '12.3 martial law lifting' symbolic stone at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul. Shin said the Chief Justice was a 'symbol of illegality and legal technique' and described impeachment as 'the people's order' and a political duty. Yonhap, Chosun Ilbo and Kyunghyang Shinmun reported it was the party's second such motion, after one unveiled in October last year. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 6 , 13 ]
According to Yonhap, Chosun Ilbo and Kyunghyang Shinmun, the motion says Cho breached the duty of political neutrality during the remand proceedings in then-candidate Lee Jae-myung's election-law case and, by refusing to re-nominate Supreme Court justice candidates, infringed the public's right to a prompt trial. It also treats the payment of bonuses and the use of expense funds, which emerged from recent Board of Audit findings, as serious violations of law. Seoul Economic Daily and Hankook Ilbo added that it cites the Chief Justice's refusal to take an oath at the National Assembly audit. Shin claimed that Lee's case was decided within nine days while the trial of Kim Keon-hee was being dragged out. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 6 , 13 , 17 ]
Shin asked the Democratic Party to start joint action, saying a joint task force or a joint caucus would be fine. Spokesperson Park Byung-eon said the party's 12 lawmakers would send the Democratic Party's lawmakers a letter and the motion, and that talks between floor leaders were planned for after floor leader Kim Jun-hyung (김준형) returned the next afternoon. Outlets noted that the motion needs 100 members to be proposed and that the party, with 12 seats, cannot do so alone. Maeil Business and Hankook Ilbo reported that the Democratic Party did not back the party's motion last year out of concern about a backlash. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 8 , 10 , 17 ]
The Democratic Party leadership did not commit. Spokesperson Cho Kye-won said party leader Kim Min-seok asked for opinion to be gathered centred on the floor, and that the issue would be examined after the audit, which runs through next week. Supreme council member Lee Sung-yoon said the party should actively push impeachment talks, and Chung Chung-rae posted on Facebook, 'Impeach Cho Hee-de.' Lawmaker Park Beom-kye urged against haste and proposed a parliamentary investigation. Hankook Ilbo reported, citing unnamed lawmakers, that caution prevailed in the party. [ 5 , 6 , 13 , 14 , 17 ]
People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyuk said the grounds did not qualify and that the chance of acceptance was 'zero'. He said the real aim was to suspend the Chief Justice, calling it a 'parliamentary coup'. Korea Economic Daily cited a poll in which 51.7% agreed with the impeachment argument and 44.3% did not. On 20 October, Kyunghyang Shinmun reported that a parliamentary investigation was emerging in the Democratic Party as an alternative to impeachment. [ 9 , 10 , 14 , 18 ]
Why it matters
The party has 12 seats and, according to outlets, cannot submit the motion without Democratic Party backing, so the Democratic Party's decision determines whether it goes forward. Outlets describe a divided Democratic Party and a continuing dispute with the People Power Party over the Chief Justice.
Key facts
- The Cho Kuk Innovation Party unveiled an impeachment motion against Chief Justice Cho Hee-de on 19 October at a supreme council meeting in front of the '12.3 martial law lifting' symbolic stone at the National Assembly. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 13 ]
- Yonhap, Chosun Ilbo and Kyunghyang Shinmun reported it was the party's second such motion against the Chief Justice, after one unveiled in October last year. [ 3 , 6 , 13 ]
- The motion cites political-neutrality violations in the remand ruling in Lee Jae-myung's election-law case, the refusal to re-nominate Supreme Court justice candidates, and alleged bonus payments and expense misuse. [ 3 , 6 , 10 , 13 ]
- Party leader Shin Jang-sik proposed that the Democratic Party form a joint task force or hold a joint caucus. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- Submitting an impeachment motion against the Chief Justice requires one-third of National Assembly members, or 100 votes, and the party holds 12 seats. [ 10 , 13 , 17 ]
- Democratic Party spokesperson Cho Kye-won said party leader Kim Min-seok asked for opinion to be gathered centred on the floor, and that the impeachment question would be examined after the audit. [ 5 , 6 , 13 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- The Cho Kuk Innovation Party unveiled an impeachment motion against Chief Justice Cho Hee-de on 19 October. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 6 , 13 ]
- The party proposed that the Democratic Party form a joint task force and hold a joint caucus. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 6 ]
- The party said its 12 lawmakers would send the Democratic Party's lawmakers a letter and the motion. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 6 ]
- The Democratic Party leadership said it would gather opinion and take up impeachment after the audit. [ 5 , 6 , 13 , 14 ]
- Impeachment cannot be proposed by the Cho Kuk Innovation Party alone because 100 lawmakers must back it. [ 10 , 13 , 17 ]
- Chung Chung-rae and Democratic Party supreme council member Lee Sung-yoon publicly urged impeachment. [ 5 , 14 , 17 ]
Still unclear
- Whether the Democratic Party will join the impeachment motion. Its leadership gave no commitment and said it would decide after the audit; outlets report that lawmakers are divided.
- Whether the grounds in the motion amount to impeachable conduct. The party alleges unconstitutional and illegal acts; People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyuk said the grounds do not qualify and acceptance is 'zero' likely, and the Chief Justice's side is not given in the documents.
- Whether the letters and motion had already been delivered to Democratic Party lawmakers. Yonhap, Newsis and Seoul Economic Daily said the party would start delivering them; Kyunghyang Shinmun said they were delivered that day.
- The weight of public support for impeachment. A Korea Economic Daily report cited a poll with 51.7% in agreement and 44.3% not, but noted the pollster and its question wording were questioned.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Dong-A Ilbo reported that the party had unveiled the motion at the supreme council meeting that morning. [ 1 ]
- Yonhap reported the second impeachment motion against the Chief Justice and the party's call for a joint task force and caucus. [ 3 ]
- Seoul Shinmun reported that Democratic Party spokespersons said opinion would be gathered and impeachment examined after the audit. [ 5 ]
- Maeil Business reported People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyuk's criticism of the impeachment push. [ 10 ]
- Korea Economic Daily reported Chung Chung-rae's Facebook call to impeach the Chief Justice and the poll results. [ 14 ]
- On 20 October Kyunghyang Shinmun reported that a parliamentary investigation was emerging in the Democratic Party as an alternative to impeachment. [ 18 ]