DPK leader accuses ruling party, PM of 'destroying constitutional order'
Rep. Kim Min-seok, center, of the main opposition Democratic Party speaks during a press briefing at the National Assembly in Seoul, Dec. 8. Yonhap
Opposition party leader Lee Jae-myung on Sunday accused the ruling party and Prime Minister Han Duck-soo of "destroying the constitutional order" after the two announced they will work together to manage state affairs following a scrapped impeachment vote on President Yoon Suk Yeol.
Lee, the leader of the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), also blasted the ruling People Power Party (PPP) for effectively blocking the efforts to suspend Yoon's duties, accusing it of being "complicit" in the treason committed by the president after Yoon's botched martial law declaration.
Earlier in the day, Han and PPP leader Han Dong-hoon held a joint press briefing and said that Yoon will not be involved in state affairs, including diplomacy, even before his departure, and the prime minister will lead the state affairs until Yoon's "early" and "orderly" departure.
"The ruling party leader and prime minister are destroying the constitutional order again," Lee said in a press conference at the National Assembly.
"(The announcement) means that Yoon Suk Yeol will stay behind orchestrating, while using conspirators to maintain this state of insurrection," Lee said. "This represents the 'second rebellion' under a new guise."
Lee criticized the idea of the PPP and Han "managing the country together" as "bizarre" when the president is still present and in office.
Lee also stressed that presidential powers are not the "sole property" of the president.
"Yoon Suk Yeol, the main culprit in the treason and military rebellion, must immediately step down, or be impeached. The DPK will make sure he gets impeached this Saturday, under the name of our people," Lee said.
The DPK called for the immediate arrest and investigation of Yoon over his short-lived martial law declaration.
Yoon survived impeachment Saturday due to a lack of quorum, with all but three ruling People Power Party (PPP) lawmakers boycotting the vote following his surprise declaration of martial law last week.
"Suspending Yoon's presidential duty is the only process that accords with the Constitution, and any other measures are unconstitutional and nothing but another act of insurrection," DPK lawmaker Kim Min-seok told a press briefing.
The DPK also warned the ruling party chief would be subject to investigation for his meetings with Yoon, "who led the insurrection."
The opposition party called for depriving Yoon of his power to command the military, vowing to pass a special counsel probe over treason charges against the president and other officials.
The opposition party vowed to present the motion every week by breaking up special sessions so as to bypass the rule of preventing the same bill from being reintroduced during the same session.
The DPK, accordingly, is expected to reintroduce a new impeachment motion Wednesday when an extraordinary parliamentary session begins. (Yonhap)