Moon Jae-in defends acting Constitutional Court chief
By Yi Whan-woo
Kim Yi-su
President Moon Jae-in faces growing protest from opposition parties over advocating Kim Yi-su, the acting chief of the Constitutional Court who has been challenged on ideological grounds.
The largest opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP), joined by the smaller People’s Party and Bareun Party, criticized President Moon, Sunday, for “using Kim to have the Constitutional Court under his control.”
The criticism came after the President advocated on Facebook for Kim while accusing the opposition bloc of boycotting the national assembly audit of the Constitutional Court, Friday.
The opposition said it would not be appropriate for Kim to testify before the National Assembly, as Moon tapped Kim as the Constitutional Court president but failed to win approval in the National Assembly in September.
Moon then wrote on Facebook that the boycott against Kim is “against national order.” He did not comment on whether he plans to find a candidate to replace Kim.
“The acting chief of the Constitutional Court deserves respect as its head,” he wrote. “It is against national order established by the National Assembly to refuse to listen to a briefing by Kim while calling him unjudicial.”
LKP spokeswoman Rep. Jun Hee-kyung fired back, saying, “It’s the President who turned the Constitutional Court into a distorted and senseless place.”
She asked Moon to nominate a candidate to replace Kim, claiming the President is deliberately delaying the nomination to keep the Constitutional Court under his control.
“The Assembly audit on Friday was crippled because of Moon and Cheong Wa Dae. The President should not blame the National Assembly but instead choose a new Constitutional Court president immediately.”
The People’s Party also held Moon responsible for the Assembly’s failure to convene a hearing, Friday, saying, “Everything will be settled if Moon promises to find someone to replace Kim.”
The Bareun Party criticized Moon for “defying the Constitution by having Kim lead the Constitutional Court although the National Assembly voted down his confirmation.”
Democratic Party of Korea chairwoman Choo Mi-ae defended the President.
“The opposition bloc made the boycott for senseless reasons,” Choo said.
The opposition parties voted against Kim’s confirmation in September by questioning his rulings and political beliefs concerning ideologically sensitive issues.