Fear of government paralysis grows amid Cabinet impeachment woes

Acting President and Prime Minister Han Duck-soo talks on the phone with U.S. President Joe Biden on Dec. 15. [OFFICE FOR GOVERNMENT POLICY COORDINATION] Concerns are growing within the government over whether the Cabinet can continue to function amid escalating political turmoil. At a Cabinet ministers' meeting on Sunday, chaired by acting President Han Duck-soo, some ministers expressed worries that “if even one more member resigns due to impeachment by the opposition, it could become difficult to convene the Cabinet in the future.” Related ArticleHan Duck-soo meets with Assembly speaker, calls Biden on first day as acting presidentHan Duck-soo, U.S. President Biden reaffirm 'ironclad' alliance during phone call SundayPrime Minister Han Duck-soo to present 2025 budget, marking 11-year shift in tradition Paralysis of the Cabinet would halt major government decision-making processes that require its review, such as legislation and executive orders. Article 88 of the Constitution stipulates that the Cabinet must have at least 15 members. Currently, the number of Cabinet members stands at 16, with the positions of the Minister of National Defense, Minister of Interior and Safety and Minister of Gender Equality and Family vacant, just meeting the minimum threshold. If the impeachment of Justice Minister Park Sung-jae, whose duties are already suspended, is upheld by the Constitutional Court, the resignation or removal of even a single additional member would render the Cabinet unable to convene. The situation is further complicated by ongoing investigations into nine current and former Cabinet members, including Han, who participated in the Dec. 3 martial law Cabinet meeting. This raises the possibility of further departures. Filling vacant positions is equally challenging, as there is no precedent for an acting president appointing Cabinet ministers. Kim Min-seok, a senior liberal Democratic Party official, warned during a party leadership meeting, “The acting prime minister lacks active powers such as personnel appointments and vetoing legislation,” hinting at the risks of continued impeachments. Several Cabinet members reportedly agreed in conversations on Monday that the risk of national paralysis necessitates the members to “remain resolute despite concerns about a potential government paralysis and the opposition party's attempts at impeachment.” While impeached Cabinet members have their duties suspended, they retain their status until the Constitutional Court rules on their cases. “If indiscriminate impeachment efforts by the opposition continue, it could jeopardize not only the composition of the Cabinet but also the quorum requirement for decision-making, which mandates the attendance of at least 11 members,” said Chang Young-soo, a professor at Korea University's Law School. BY PARK TAE-IN, KIM MIN-YOUNG [[email protected]]

Fear of government paralysis grows amid Cabinet impeachment woes Published: 17 Dec. 2024, 12:44 Acting President and Prime Minister Han Duck-soo talks on the phone with U.S.

President Joe Biden on Dec. 15. [OFFICE FOR GOVERNMENT POLICY COORDINATION] Concerns are growing within the government over whether the Cabinet can continue to function amid escalating political turmoil.

At a Cabinet ministers' meeting on Sunday, chaired by acting President Han Duck-soo, some ministers expressed worries that “if even one more member resigns due to impeachment by the opposition, it could become difficult to convene the Cabinet in the future.” Related Article Han Duck-soo meets with Assembly speaker, calls Biden on first day as acting president Han Duck-soo, U.S.

President Biden reaffirm 'ironclad' alliance during phone call Sunday Prime Minister Han Duck-soo to present 2025 budget, marking 11-year shift in tradition Paralysis of the Cabinet would halt major government decision-making processes that require its review, such as legislation and executive orders. Article 88 of the Constitution stipulates that the Cabinet must have at least 15 members. Currently, the number of Cabinet members stands at 16, with the positions of the Minister of National Defense, Minister of Interior and Safety and Minister of Gender Equality and Family vacant, just meeting the minimum threshold.

If the impeachment of Justice Minister Park Sung-jae, whose duties are already suspended, is upheld by the Constitutional Court, the resignation or removal of even a single additional member would render the Cabinet unable to convene. The situation is further complicated by ongoing investigations into nine current and former Cabinet members, including Han, who participated in the Dec. 3 martial law Cabinet meeting.

This raises the possibility of further departures. Filling vacant positions is equally challenging, as there is no precedent for an acting president appointing Cabinet ministers. Kim Min-seok, a senior liberal Democratic Party official, warned during a party leadership meeting, “The acting prime minister lacks active powers such as personnel appointments and vetoing legislation,” hinting at the risks of continued impeachments.

Several Cabinet members reportedly agreed in conversations on Monday that the risk of national paralysis necessitates the members to “remain resolute despite concerns about a potential government paralysis and the opposition party's attempts at impeachment.” While impeached Cabinet members have their duties suspended, they retain their status until the Constitutional Court rules on their cases. “If indiscriminate impeachment efforts by the opposition continue, it could jeopardize not only the composition of the Cabinet but also the quorum requirement for decision-making, which mandates the attendance of at least 11 members,” said Chang Young-soo, a professor at Korea University's Law School.

BY PARK TAE-IN, KIM MIN-YOUNG [ [email protected] ] var admarutag = admarutag || {} admarutag.cmd = admarutag.cmd || [] admarutag.

cmd.push(function () { admarutag.pageview('3bf9fc17-6e70-4776-9d65-ca3bb0c17cb7'); });.