The Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) has launched an investigation into Minister Choi Sang-mok, who is also the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance, for withholding the appointment of constitutional court candidate Ma Eun-hyeok.
According to the legal circles on the 31st, the CIO's Investigation Division 3 (Director General Lee Dae-hwan) secured materials related to the administrative dispute over the delay in the appointment of candidate Ma in an arbitrary submission format at the National Assembly Secretariat that afternoon.
Deputy Prime Minister Choi withheld the appointment of candidate Ma while appointing two of three constitutional court candidates nominated by the ruling and opposition parties on Dec. 31, 2022, when he was acting in place of the president. At that time, Deputy Prime Minister Choi noted, "I will appoint [them] as soon as the agreement between the ruling and opposition parties is confirmed," but did not make the appointment until he handed over the presidential authority to Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, who returned to duty after the dismissal of the impeachment motion on the 24th of this month.
The CIO's investigation follows a complaint filed by civic groups, including the Citizens' Action to Restore Judicial Justice, accusing Deputy Prime Minister Choi of dereliction of duty.