Constitutional Court Dismisses Impeachment Motion Against Minister of Justice Park Sung-jae ⚖️

The Constitutional Court of Korea has dismissed the impeachment motion against Minister of Justice Park Sung-jae after 119 days of deliberation. Here’s a breakdown of the key points:

Key Takeaways

• Impeachment Dismissed: The Constitutional Court unanimously (8-0) dismissed the impeachment motion against Park Sung-jae.
• Immediate Reinstatement: Minister Park has immediately returned to his duties.
• Lack of Evidence: The court found no evidence to support the claim that Minister Park was involved in any plans for martial law.
• Minor Infraction Acknowledged: The court acknowledged that Minister Park refused to submit data related to Jang Si-ho’s (장시호) 출정 (Chuljeong) records from Seoul Detention Center, which is a violation of the Act on Testimony and Appraisal before the National Assembly. However, this was not deemed sufficient grounds for impeachment.
• Rejection of Other Claims: Other claims, such as refusing to submit details of the special activity expenses of the prosecution, were also rejected by the court.

Detailed Explanation

The Constitutional Court stated that there was no evidence to prove Minister Park’s involvement in the alleged planning of martial law. Specifically, the court found no evidence that Minister Park aided former President Yoon in declaring martial law during a cabinet meeting held just before the alleged plans were to be implemented.

Regarding the meeting held at the Samcheong-dong (삼청동) secret meeting, the court stated, “It cannot be seen that the respondent was involved in acts of insurrection by discussing subsequent measures and searching for countermeasures in accordance with the acts of insurrection.”

The court also did not accept the claim that Minister Park instructed the Seoul Eastern Detention Center to prepare detention facilities during the alleged martial law period.

While the court acknowledged that Minister Park refused to submit Jang Si-ho’s 출정 (Chuljeong) record data from the Seoul Detention Center, which is a violation of the Act on Testimony and Appraisal before the National Assembly, it determined that this was not a sufficient reason for impeachment. (Note: 출정 (Chuljeong) refers to the act of a detainee being escorted out of the detention center for court appearances or investigations.)

Finally, the court dismissed the claim by the People Power Party against National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik regarding the quorum for the impeachment of the President’s authority, deeming it inappropriate.

In summary, the Constitutional Court’s decision allows Minister Park Sung-jae to continue his duties, having found insufficient grounds to justify his impeachment. 👍