The Impeachment Committee, “All Debates on the Impeachment Should be Closed”

“To support a specific party at a press conference is a violation of election laws.” “Roh’s act that underestimated current election laws as a legacy of the election by government authority is a violation of the obligation to protect the constitution.”

As Yun Young-chul, president of the Constitutional Court, pointed out Roh’s violations of the constitutional law and election laws at 10:03 a.m. on May 14 as he read the ruling statement, tension increased in the court. According to the rule that states “in the event that a president violates a constitutional law or laws, the National Assembly can impeach the president,” an atmosphere toward impeachment was created.

All defense lawyers, including Moon Jae-in, were silent. The impeachment committee members, on the other hand, seemed to pay close attention, sitting straight up in their seats.

When Yun announced around 10:23 a.m., “We will rule whether to impeach the president or not,” tension between the impeachment committee members and legal representatives reached a climax.

When “the court dismisses the claim of impeachment” was announced, legal representatives displayed obvious sighs of relief.

Moon, an executive secretary in legal representatives, said through tears, “As a result, it turned out to be a wrong impeachment. I am so glad.” “A large amount of money was wasted. I hope that this case will act as an example for introspection and also a motive for improvement,” Moon said. “The Constitutional Court pointed out acts of violation, which could be reasons for impeachment. We will accept and respect that.”

“All debates on the impeachment should be finished by today,” Kim Ki-chum, a congressional representative of the Grand National Party (GNP), said, right after the ruling. “We expect that the president will conduct his business with more sincerity.” Kim added, “We respectfully declared that a president could be a subject of an impeachment, and the impeachment trial itself was meaningful in practicing legalism.”

Demonstrators in front of the constitutional court had mixed feelings of joy and sorrow. Twenty members of the civic group loyal to Roh Moo-hyun, exclaimed, “Cheers! We won!” Some members were hugging one another with tears in their eyes.

Fifty members of conservative groups, such as the North Korea nuclear weapon group, Stop (NKNStop), yelled, “We can accept the result. The president should resign for himself.”

Five hundred aligning police officers from five different troop units stood ready around the constitutional court, prepared for any emergency.

Tae-Hoon Lee jefflee@donga.com