Constitutional Court finds no problem with DP's impeachment motions against ex-KCC chief, prosecutors
SEOUL, March 28 (Yonhap) -- The Constitutional Court ruled Thursday that there was no problem with the main opposition Democratic Party introducing impeachment motions against the broadcasting watchdog chief and two prosecutors last year before withdrawing and reintroducing them later.
In early November, the Democratic Party (DP) proposed motions to impeach Lee Dong-kwan as the head of the Korea Communications Commission (KCC) and two prosecutors, including Son Jun-sung, accusing Lee of unfair personnel decisions and appointments.
Determining that it would be difficult to put them to a parliamentary vote within the 72-hour time limit given to such impeachment votes, the DP withdrew the motions to raise their chances of parliamentary approval.
The DP submitted the same impeachment motions again in late November and currently proceedings are under way at the Constitutional Court to determine whether to endorse the impeachments of the two prosecutors after the parliamentary passage of the motions against them.
Lee stepped down before a parliamentary vote on his impeachment motion.
Lawmakers of the ruling People Power Party have since filed a petition against National Assembly Speaker Kim Jin-pyo, claiming that his acceptance of the DP's withdrawal of the initial motions infringed upon their rights to deliberate and vote on such motions.
The Constitutional Court ruled Thursday that it was legal to withdraw the motions without consent from a general assembly session because they had not yet been formally submitted for parliamentary discussion, as it unanimously rejected the petition.
The court also determined that the reproposal of the same motions to be also legal.
pbr@yna.co.kr
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