Rebuilding Korea Party leader says Chief Justice Cho impeachment likely to be upheld
In short
Shin Jang-sik (신장식), leader of the Rebuilding Korea Party (조국혁신당), said on 20 October that he thinks the party's impeachment motion against Chief Justice Cho Hee-de (조희대) has a good chance of being upheld. He urged the Democratic Party, which he said is still deliberating, to act, and said his party would make a further concrete proposal that afternoon.
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Shin Jang-sik (신장식), leader of the Rebuilding Korea Party (조국혁신당), said on 20 October that he thinks the party's impeachment motion against Chief Justice Cho Hee-de (조희대) has a good chance of being upheld. He spoke in an interview on the SBS radio programme "Kim Tae-hyun's Political Show" (김태현의 정치쇼), according to Newsis and Maeil Business. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Shin said that whether the motion is upheld or rejected, setting a precedent that a chief justice can finish his term without anyone being able to touch him is not good for South Korea. He said Cho would keep doing things the judiciary should not do until June next year, and that letting him finish his term without addressing the grounds would leave a very large stain on the country and on judicial justice. [ 1 , 3 ]
Korea Economic Daily reported that the motion was released on 19 October and that the party asked the Democratic Party to take part. Shin said the motion falls into three main parts: the remand ruling concerning Lee Jae-myung as a presidential candidate, the re-nomination of Supreme Court justice candidates, and improper business promotion expenses and bonuses. Maeil Business described it as the party's second impeachment motion against Cho. [ 2 , 3 ]
Shin acknowledged the difficulty ahead. He said that even the Yoon Suk-yeol insurrection case took a long time and asked what constitutional trial is easy. When the host said the insurrection was clearly visible and was different, Shin replied that even small faults of a chief justice must be viewed seriously. [ 2 , 3 ]
Shin called on the Democratic Party to decide. He said it seemed to be deliberating and that he understood it must move carefully as the governing party with more than 160 seats. If it did not decide when it should, he said, it would have to consider public criticism of what it does with its seats. He said he had made a proposal to the Democratic Party and the pro-reform camp on 19 October and planned a more concrete one that afternoon, covering what to do and who would be in charge. [ 1 , 3 ]
Newsis quoted Shin as saying the Democratic Party was repeating the arguments made when his party first raised the impeachment of Yoon Suk-yeol, that it was too hasty and could trigger a backlash from centrist voters. He cited three controversies: tailwind or backlash, whether there is any benefit since the term ends in June, and whether the motion can really win. Korea Economic Daily reported that political circles assess the party as judging the benefits of pursuing impeachment to be greater than the risk of a backlash from rejection. [ 1 , 2 ]
Why it matters
The reports show the Rebuilding Korea Party pressing the governing Democratic Party to join an impeachment effort against the chief justice. Whether the Democratic Party joins is not settled in the reports.
Key facts
- Shin Jang-sik, leader of the Rebuilding Korea Party, said on SBS radio on 20 October that he thinks the impeachment motion against Chief Justice Cho Hee-de has a good chance of being upheld. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Shin said that regardless of whether the motion is upheld or rejected, setting a precedent that a chief justice can finish his term without anyone being able to touch him is not good for the country. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The party released the motion on 19 October and asked the Democratic Party to take part; Maeil Business described it as the party's second impeachment motion against Cho. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Shin said the motion has three main parts: the remand ruling concerning Lee Jae-myung as a presidential candidate, the re-nomination of Supreme Court justice candidates, and improper business promotion expenses and bonuses. [ 2 ]
- Shin acknowledged that the impeachment trial would not be easy. [ 2 , 3 ]
- The party planned to make a further concrete cooperation proposal to the Democratic Party and the pro-reform camp on the afternoon of 20 October. [ 1 , 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Shin Jang-sik said on 20 October that he thinks the motion to impeach Chief Justice Cho Hee-de is likely to be upheld. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The Democratic Party is deliberating on the matter, and Shin said he understands it must move carefully as the governing party with more than 160 seats. [ 1 , 3 ]
- The Rebuilding Korea Party planned a further proposal to the Democratic Party on the afternoon of 20 October. [ 1 , 3 ]
- Shin said that even the Yoon Suk-yeol insurrection case took a long time and that no constitutional trial is easy. [ 2 , 3 ]
Still unclear
- Whether the motion would actually be upheld. Shin gave only his own view that it is likely, and also said the trial would not be easy.
- Whether the Democratic Party will take part in the impeachment push. Documents say only that the party is deliberating.
- Whether the party judged the benefits of impeachment to outweigh the risk of a backlash if the motion is rejected. Only Korea Economic Daily reported this, citing an assessment in political circles.