Ahn Cheol-soo, a member of the People Power Party, claimed on August 29 that President Lee Jae-myung's request for the reappointment of Supreme Court Justice nominee Son Bong-ki marks the beginning of a lame duck period for the president. In response, the Democratic Party criticized Ahn's assertion as delusional.
Ahn stated on Facebook, "The president's lame duck status has begun, as he cannot even secure a vote on the arrest motion despite having a majority in the National Assembly." He questioned whether President Lee is afraid of losing support from the pro-Lee faction in the party, stating, "The president cannot send the Supreme Court justice nomination to the National Assembly. Is he that scared of the pro-Lee faction's defection?"
He added, "The Blue House is using procedural issues as an excuse, but the Democratic Party is a massive ruling party with 161 seats. If Son is truly unfit, they can simply vote against him in the National Assembly as a party line." Ahn emphasized that the inability to send the nomination to the National Assembly stems from fears of defections from the pro-Lee faction following the recent party convention.
Ahn also noted, "According to the National Assembly Act, personnel matters like the Supreme Court justice nomination are voted on by secret ballot. Since it is unclear who might betray, this presents a perfect opportunity for the pro-Lee faction and the Justice Innovation Party to unite and strike a blow against President Lee and the pro-Lee faction."
He remarked, "President Lee, who carries the trauma of the arrest motion vote during his tenure as party leader in 2023, knows this better than anyone. A president who cannot even trust his own party members to vote in the National Assembly is a clear signal of a lame duck status. If he truly believes in the unity of the Democratic Party, he should stop hiding behind the reappointment request and send the nomination for Son to the National Assembly immediately."
In response, Democratic Party spokesperson Cho Gye-won urged Ahn to stop making baseless claims, stating, "This is a political attack that distorts the constitutionally mandated personnel verification process into a narrative of internal conflict within the party."
Cho emphasized, "The president's request for the reappointment of a Supreme Court justice is an exercise of his constitutionally guaranteed authority. It is a measure to correct procedural flaws in the recommendation process and ensure the integrity of the judiciary's composition."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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