Acting President deliberates on constitutional judges appointment

[Anchor]

The acting authority is maintaining a cautious stance, saying he will listen to various opinions while facing conflicting pressures from both the ruling and opposition parties regarding the appointment of constitutional judges.

Regarding another issue, the right to request reconsideration, it seems a decision has been made.

A Cabinet meeting will be held tomorrow (12.19) to make a decision.

Reporter Shin Ji-hye reports.

[Report]

Six contentious bills, including the Grain Management Act, will be presented at the temporary Cabinet meeting tomorrow morning.

The bills for which the People Power Party has requested the president's reconsideration have raised controversy over whether Acting President Han Duck-soo can exercise the right to request reconsideration.

Since the Cabinet meeting is being held one day before the deadline for requesting reconsideration, the final decision on whether to request reconsideration will be made.

The Prime Minister's Office is reportedly considering sending the bills back to the National Assembly for amendments and then passing them again.

The Democratic Party does not recognize the right to request reconsideration itself, so discussions have not progressed, and it seems they have judged that they cannot delay any longer.

Although the official stance of the Prime Minister's Office is that nothing has been decided yet, analyses suggest that the possibility of requesting reconsideration is greater.

The special investigation law regarding insurrection and the special investigation law concerning First Lady Kim Keon-hee, which were transferred to the government yesterday (12.17), must also decide on the request for reconsideration by the end of the year.

It appears that the appointment process for constitutional judges, led by the Democratic Party, will be completed by the end of the year, so a decision on the appointment of constitutional judges must also be made.

A senior official from the Prime Minister's Office stated, "There are various interpretations and controversies, so we need to hear diverse opinions."

However, internally, there is a sentiment that it will be difficult for the acting authority to actively block the appointment of vacant judges.

The three judges to be appointed this time are to be recommended by the National Assembly rather than the president, so there is little justification for delaying the appointments.

Previously, the Constitutional Court mentioned the case of the appointment by Acting Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn, stating that the acting authority can appoint judges.

However, the People Power Party and President Yoon's side argue that at that time, the president was impeached, and therefore, the appointment of judges by the acting authority is not permissible during the president's suspension of duties.

This is KBS News, Shin Ji-hye.