(2nd LD) Nat'l Assembly submits impeachment resolution against interior minister to Constitutional Court

(ATTN: UPDATES with reaction from ruling, opposition parties)
By Lee Minji

SEOUL, Feb. 9 (Yonhap) -- The National Assembly submitted the impeachment resolution against Interior Minister Lee Sang-min to the Constitutional Court on Thursday, a day after passing the first-ever such motion against a Cabinet member.

The motion passed through the opposition-controlled parliament Wednesday to hold Lee accountable for the government's allegedly bungled response to the Oct. 29 crowd crush that killed 159 people. Lee has been suspended from his duties as a result until the Constitutional Court decides whether to endorse or reject the motion.

On Thursday, the impeachment resolution was submitted to the Constitutional Court, said Rep. Kim Do-eup of the ruling People Power Party (PPP), who chairs the parliamentary legislative and judiciary committee, in a text message to reporters.

As chairman of the judiciary committee, Kim will play the role of the prosecution during the impeachment trial. The main opposition Democratic Party (DP) and other critics have raised concern he may not play the role actively due to his affiliation with the ruling party.

"The absence of the interior minister has left a vacuum in state affairs," Kim said. "This could inflict damage on the people. I hope the Constructional Court will speed up the trial process in order to minimize the period of the vacuum in state affairs."

Kim also rejected concerns he may not fulfill his role actively.

"The Constructional Court will make a decision based on evidence submitted by the Democratic Party and the response from Minister Lee," he said. "There is no room for me to intervene."

The court has 180 days to rule on the case.

Depending on the court's decision, Lee will either be reinstated or removed from office.

The PPP has claimed the impeachment makes no sense, arguing that Lee violated no laws and accusing the DP of pursuing the impeachment for political purposes at a time when its leader, Lee Jae-myung, is under corruption investigations.

"This is not the reason the people gave the DP a majority in the last general elections," PPP floor leader Joo Ho-young said during a party meeting. "The people will pass a stern judgment on the DP in next year's general elections."

PPP Rep. Jeong Jeom-sig, who represents the party in the parliamentary judiciary committee, claimed that the main opposition has "lost its reason" in an attempt to shield its party leader who faces corruption allegations.

"They probably knew that an arrest warrant for Chairman Lee Jae-myung is imminent," Jeong said. "The DP has lost its reason, attempting to hinder the government the people chose, to defend its party leader's crimes."

The DP, however, took a swipe at the presidential office and the ruling party, rebutting the top office's Wednesday remark that denounced the impeachment as a "shame" in parliamentary history.

DP floor leader Park Hong-keun said that Yoon will "go down in history as an irresponsible leader."

"The arrogant administration, which has never bowed its head, let alone repented, even after losing the lives of 159 people, is bent on churning out reckless words blaming the National Assembly," Park said. "The president should apologize and Minister Lee should self-reflect while waiting for the impeachment trial."

mlee@yna.co.kr
(END)