Latest news with #MartialLawAct
Korea Herald
03-07-2025
- Politics
- Korea Herald
Lee's PM pick passes Assembly amid opposition boycott
The National Assembly confirmed Rep. Kim Min-seok as prime minister the National Assembly on Thursday, in a vote that was boycotted by the opposition People Power Party. The National Assembly's approval of Kim comes 29 days after President Lee Jae Myung chose the former head of the Democratic Party's supreme council, the party's top decision-making body, to lead his Cabinet. The vote on whether to approve Kim's nomination, in which only the ruling Democratic Party of Korea and minor liberal parties participated, 173 out of 179 lawmakers present voted in favor. Three voted against his nomination, and three abstained from voting. Speaking to reporters, Kim said he would "listen to the voices of the people like they are the will of heaven" and "carry out the president's directions at the ground level." Kim also said he would work closely with lawmakers across political parties. Kim picked "overcoming the economic crisis spawned by the tyranny" of the last Yoon Suk Yeol administration as a top priority. Kim said as prime minister he would "usher in a new era of the great people, great government and great president of this country." The People Power Party said the Democratic Party unilaterally passing the approval of Kim, in the absence of the opposition, was an abuse of the ruling party's majority in the Assembly. Ahead of the vote, the People Power Party said Kim should give up his nomination, saying the nominee failed to address allegations surrounding his financial track record during his Assembly hearing. The People Power Party also found fault with Kim defending his role in the 1985 occupation of the US Cultural Center near the US Embassy in Seoul. Kim had worked with Lee as the party's chair on the Democratic Party's leadership for about a year until he left the post to run for president. A revision to the Martial Law Act — banning military and police entry into the National Assembly under martial law — also passed during Thursday's session.
Hans India
03-07-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
South Korea: National Assembly approves PM nominee Kim Min-seok
The South Korean National Assembly on Thursday endorsed President Lee Jae Myung's pick for prime minister, although all lawmakers from the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) boycotted the vote over allegations surrounding his wealth and family. The Assembly passed the confirmation motion for Kim Min-seok in a 173-3 vote with three invalid ballots during a plenary session. The approval came 29 days after Lee nominated Kim, a four-term lawmaker of the ruling Democratic Party (DP), as Prime Minister. Only lawmakers of the DP, which currently holds a parliamentary majority, and other minor parties participated in the vote. In South Korea, the prime minister is the only Cabinet post that requires parliamentary approval. The DP earlier said it will push ahead with the confirmation unilaterally even if the PPP disagrees, while the PPP has demanded Kim's withdrawal, calling him an unqualified nominee. At the session, the Assembly also passed a revision of the Commercial Act that would expand the fiduciary duty of corporate board members to all shareholders. The rival parties had clashed over the rule that would limit the voting rights of the largest shareholder in a company to 3 per cent when an auditor is being selected, but agreed Wednesday to put the bill to a vote after making amendments to the rule. A revision to the Martial Law Act that bans the entry of the military and police into the National Assembly is also expected to be proposed during the session, Yonhap news agency reported. Earlier on June 24, Kim Min-seok had undergone two days of confirmation hearings at the National Assembly, as the main opposition party demanded his withdrawal over allegations surrounding his wealth and family. Since his nomination by President Lee Jae Myung earlier this month, Kim has come under increased scrutiny over his past conviction for accepting illegal political funds, his significant increase in assets over the last five years, his son's college admissions and his own studies at China's Tsinghua University, among other issues. The main opposition People Power Party had demanded his withdrawal, but the ruling Democratic Party has cast the allegations as politically motivated attacks and defended the nominee.
Korea Herald
03-07-2025
- Politics
- Korea Herald
Natl. Assembly approves PM nominee Kim Min-seok
The National Assembly on Thursday endorsed President Lee Jae Myung's pick for prime minister, although all lawmakers from the main opposition People Power Party boycotted the vote over allegations surrounding his wealth and family. The Assembly passed the confirmation motion for Kim Min-seok in a 173-3 vote with three invalid ballots during a plenary session. The approval came 29 days after Lee nominated Kim, a four-term lawmaker of the ruling Democratic Party, as prime minister. Only lawmakers of the DP, which currently holds a parliamentary majority, and other minor parties participated in the vote. In South Korea, the prime minister is the only Cabinet post that requires parliamentary approval. The DP earlier said it will push ahead with the confirmation unilaterally even if the PPP disagrees, while the PPP has demanded Kim's withdrawal, calling him an unqualified nominee. At the session, the Assembly also passed a revision of the Commercial Act that would expand the fiduciary duty of corporate board members to all shareholders. The rival parties had clashed over the rule that would limit the voting rights of the largest shareholder in a company to 3 percent when an auditor is being selected but agreed Wednesday to put the bill to a vote after making amendments to the rule. A revision to the Martial Law Act that bans the entry of the military and police into the National Assembly is also expected to be proposed during the session. (Yonhap)
Korea Herald
03-07-2025
- Politics
- Korea Herald
Natl. Assembly set to vote on PM nominee
The National Assembly was set to vote on Prime Minister nominee Kim Min-seok on Thursday amid objections from the main opposition over allegations surrounding his wealth and family. The ruling Democratic Party, which currently holds a parliamentary majority with 167 out of 298 seats, can single-handedly pass Kim's motion without the support of the main opposition People Power Party. A plenary session is scheduled for 2 p.m. to confirm Kim as the country's No. 2 official. In South Korea, the prime minister is the only Cabinet post that requires parliamentary approval. The DP has said it will push ahead with the confirmation unilaterally even if the PPP disagrees, while the PPP has demanded Kim's withdrawal, calling him an unqualified nominee. At the session, the Assembly is also expected to review a revision of the Commercial Act that would expand the fiduciary duty of corporate board members to all shareholders. The rival parties had clashed over the rule that would limit the voting rights of the largest shareholder in a company to 3 percent when an auditor is being selected but agreed Wednesday to put the bill to a vote after making amendments to the rule. A revision to the Martial Law Act that bans military and police entry into the National Assembly is also expected to be proposed during the session. (Yonhap)
Korea Herald
17-03-2025
- Politics
- Korea Herald
Constitutional Court expected to deliver ruling on Yoon this week
Court under pressure as political turmoil continues to grip the nation The Constitutional Court is expected to deliver its ruling on the impeachment trial of President Yoon Suk Yeol on either Thursday or Friday, legal experts said Monday. As of Monday, the Constitutional Court had heard and deliberated on the case for 93 days since it received the impeachment motion against Yoon passed by the opposition-controlled National Assembly on Dec. 14. The deliberation process on Yoon's case is the lengthiest of South Korea's three presidential impeachment trials. In 2004 it delivered the verdict for President Roh Moo-hyun 63 days after receiving the motion from the Assembly, while in 2017 it took 91 days for President Park Geun-hye. There is a 180-day time limit for the court to deliver a verdict on whether to reinstate Yoon or remove him from office in relation to his Dec. 3 martial law declaration. However, one constitutional law expert projected a further delay in the delivering of the verdict, pointing out that the current eight-member bench is treading cautiously due to the sensitivity of the case. 'Throughout the Constitutional Court hearings, Yoon, as a defendant, has repeatedly brought up suspicions of election fraud by the National Election Commission as a main reason behind his surprise martial law declaration,' Hwang Do-ssu, a constitutional law professor at Konkuk University, told The Korea Herald on Monday. 'Yoon cannot be convicted of insurrection if there is any evidence found that could back up his claims that he declared martial law to protect the country's democracy,' the Seoul-based expert added. Yoon has accused the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea of "trying to overthrow free democracy" by recklessly impeaching members of his Cabinet and blocking his budget plans and key initiatives. At the same time, the professor said Yoon was likely to be convicted of breaching the Martial Law Act, which is another potential charge against Yoon in addition to insurrection. Even then, the eight-member bench is likely to be heavily divided over whether to remove Yoon from office, according to Hwang. 'It is going to take some time for the court to decide whether it is fair for them to completely remove Yoon from office, when there are other forms of punishments.' Although the current court has eight justices with one seat vacant, the six-vote threshold remains to confirm Yoon's removal from office. If the court plans to deliver its ruling on Yoon's case by the end of the week, it is likely to announce the date of the verdict around Tuesday or Wednesday. It has traditionally announced when a verdict will come two or three days in advance. The announcement is made after the defendant is confirmed to have received and verified the date. The Constitutional Court is also currently deliberating on the impeachment case of suspended Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, and is likely to deliver a ruling on that ahead of Yoon's case, according to observers. Partisan tension has been escalating in recent weeks ahead of the court's planned verdict on Yoon's impeachment case. Hundreds of thousands of civilian protesters and opposition party lawmakers held a mass rally at Gwanghwamun Square in central Seoul on Monday afternoon, calling for the court to remove Yoon from office. Park Chan-dae, floor leader of the Democratic Party, who took stage in front of the protesters, said that the court must swiftly announce the date of the verdict and oust Yoon to "reaffirm" South Korea's democracy. "I urge the Constitutional Court justices to make a swift and firm decision based on their conscience. I also call for them to reaffirm the fact that South Korea is a democratic country by immediately deciding on the date of the verdict and removing Yoon, who is guilty of insurrection, from office," Park said. Anti-impeachment protestors also gathered in Jongno-gu around 11 a.m., calling for the court to reinstate Yoon. Yoon's avid supporters later held a separate series of press briefings in front of the Constitutional Court. Meanwhile, the Seoul Metropolitan Government announced that Anguk Station on subway line No. 3, located near the Constitutional Court in Jongno-gu, will be temporarily closed on the day of the court's ruling. It announced other safety measures, including deploying up to 1,357 officials from the city government, fire and police departments, daily around the time of the court's anticipated ruling, at major subway stations.
