Impeachment motions against top officials dismissed

The Constitutional Court unanimously rejected the impeachment motions against Auditor General Choi Jae-hae and three prosecutors, including Lee Chang-soo, head of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office. This marks the eighth rejection among 13 public officials impeached by the Democratic Party-led National Assembly under the Yoon Suk Yeol administration.

On the 13th, the court held a sentencing session at its main chamber in Jongno, Seoul, and dismissed the impeachment cases against Choi, Lee, Cho Sang-won (4th deputy chief prosecutor of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office), and Choi Jae-hoon (chief of the Anti-corruption Investigation Division 2 of the same office). The decision came 98 days after their duties were suspended, allowing them to return to work immediately.

Regarding Choi’s impeachment, which was based on allegations of an inadequate audit of the presidential office relocation, the court ruled, “There is no evidence to suggest a flawed audit.” It also found no grounds to conclude that his audit of former Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission chief Jeon Hyun-hee was intended to pressure her to resign. While the court acknowledged that Choi violated parliamentary testimony laws by refusing to allow the National Assembly to review meeting records during an on-site inspection, it determined this was not a grave enough violation to warrant removal from office. Justices Lee Mi-seon, Jeong Jeong-mi, and Jeong Gye-seon issued a separate opinion stating that Choi had also breached the Constitution and the Board of Audit and Inspection Act during the revision of internal regulations.

The court also dismissed the impeachment case against the three prosecutors accused of mishandling the investigation into First Lady Kim Keon-hee’s alleged involvement in the Deutsche Motors stock manipulation scandal. It concluded that they had not violated the Constitution or any laws. However, the ruling stated, “Even if there were incidental political motives or intentions, it cannot be definitively concluded that the impeachment authority was abused.”

Reactions from the ruling and opposition parties sharply differed. People Power Party interim leader Kwon Young-se hailed the decision, calling it “a historic ruling that delivers a stern rebuke to the Democratic Party’s reckless political impeachments.” Meanwhile, the Democratic Party issued a statement through spokesperson Cho Seung-rae, asserting, “The court made it clear that this was not a case of reckless impeachment” and added, “Ultimately, what matters now is expediting Yoon Suk Yeol’s removal from office.”


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