[Editorial] Let’s End the Impeachment Dispute Today

After two months since the National Assembly passed the impeachment bill on President Roh Moo-hyun, legal procedures are coming to an end with the Constitutional Court announcing its final ruling today. Whatever the reasons, the uncertainty of a president’s status, caused by the conflict between President Roh and the majority opposition of the 16th National Assembly, was unfortunate business for the nation. However, the crisis displayed the maturity of Korea’s democracy as the Constitutional Court proceeded with hearings according to swift procedures and are reaching a final ruling without undergoing much national disorder.

As of today, after the Constitutional Court rules on the issue, proponents and opponents of the impeachment alike should refrain from holding rallies. It is hard to overemphasize the fact that all should accept the Constitutional Court’s decision to preserve the democratic and constitutional order of the nation. Rallies even after the ruling on the impeachment can lead to social disorder and bring forth a national crisis.

The political community must not use the judiciary decision on the president’s impeachment for political purposes. The ruling and opposition parties alike are responsible for the unprecedented event of the president being impeached. The court’s decision today is an opportunity to bury the conflict and friction surrounding the impeachment with the end of the 16th National Assembly, and a chance for the ruling and opposition to make a new start.

In that sense, several incoming lawmakers of the ruling party were wrong to boycott the speech of National Assembly Speaker Park Kwan-yong, who handled the impeachment motion, at a parliamentarian banquet yesterday. It was also wrong of an opposition lawmaker, making assumptions regarding the Constitutional Court’s ruling, to assert “we should not allow them budget.”

On this day that the Constitutional Court will reach a final judicial ruling on the National Assembly’s decision to impeach the president according to the Constitution and the law, the nation must humbly accept the decision and take this opportunity to solidify democracy and the rule of law.