Acting President Han Duck-soo, the Prime Minister, nominates Lee Wan-kyu, the head of the Legislation Office (left), and Ham Sang-hoon, the Director General of the Seoul High Court, as successors to Acting Chief Justice Moon Hyung-bae and Justice Lee Mi-sun, whose terms end 10 days later, on Nov. 8. /Courtesy of Yonhap News Agency

The Democratic Party of Korea noted on the 8th that Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, who is acting as president, nominated Lee Wan-kyu, head of the Legislation Office, and Ham Sang-hoon, a presiding judge at the Seoul High Court, as successors to Constitutional Court Justices Moon Hyung-bae and Lee Mi-sun, stating that they would file a constitutional complaint and a request for a provisional injunction together.

Han Min-soo, spokesperson for the Democratic Party, criticized the nomination after a closed supreme council meeting held at the National Assembly on the afternoon of the same day, stating that "(the nomination of a successor to the constitutional justice for the presidential share by Acting President Han) is seen as an attempt by forces sympathetic to the rebellion to seize control of the Constitutional Court."

He added, "Acting President Han has unlawfully abused power, and we will reveal that this nomination is fundamentally invalid through a constitutional complaint and a request for a provisional injunction."

Spokesperson Han noted about Minister Lee, known to be an associate of former President Yoon Seok-youl, that "He is an unqualified person lacking the qualifications of a constitutional justice and was reported to the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials for the crime of insurrection on January 3," urging, "The CI office must immediately carry out an investigation against Minister Lee."

Spokesperson Han also stated that the appointment of Constitutional Justice Ma Eun-hyeok is lawful. He said, "Since the establishment of the Constitutional Court, I understand that there has been only one instance where an acting president appointed a constitutional justice, which was a judge recommended by the National Assembly and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court," adding, "In the case of Constitutional Justice Ma Eun-hyeok, it was decided by consensus in the National Assembly. The Constitutional Court decided unanimously that the acting president did not make the appointment was unconstitutional."

When asked about the possibility of pushing for the re-impeachment of Acting President Han, Democratic Party floor leader Park Chan-dae said, "We are conducting a legal review."