South Korea: National Assembly set to vote on appointment of 3 Constitutional Court judge nominees

Seoul: The opposition-controlled National Assembly of South Korea is set to vote on the appointment of three Constitutional Court justice nominees at a parliamentary plenary meeting on Thursday.

It remains to be seen whether acting President Han Duck-soo would approve the final appointment of the three new judges. The main opposition Democratic Party (DP) has vowed to impeach Han unless the acting president approves their appointments, Yonhap news agency reported.

If appointed, the three nominees will fill vacancies on the court's nine-member bench, where six justices are currently seated, to deliberate President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment trial. By law, at least six votes are required to uphold an impeachment motion.

The DP earlier pushed ahead with the confirmation hearings for the nominees -- Ma Eun-hyuk, and Jeong Gye-seon, both of whom are nominated by the DP, and Cho Han-chang, recommended by the ruling People Power Party (PPP).

The DP and minor opposition parties, which together hold 192 seats in the 300-seat Assembly, are expected to unilaterally pass the appointment motions.

A motion to appoint a Constitutional Court justice nominee requires a majority of the sitting lawmakers to be present and a majority approval in the National Assembly.

The DP has called on Han to appoint the justices without delay if the motions pass the plenary session, saying it will propose an impeachment motion against Han if he refuses.

The PPP, however, has argued that Han lacks presidential authority to make the appointments and has vowed to file a suit with the Constitutional Court seeking an injunction if he proceeds.