National Assembly speaker to clarify impeachment quorum stance

[Anchor]

As you just saw, the controversy over the quorum for the impeachment bill's passage continues.

National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik has decided to clarify his position before the plenary session tomorrow (12.27), and the Constitutional Court has stated that it currently has no official position.

Reporter Woo Jung-hwa reports.

[Report]

As the Democratic Party has announced a vote on the impeachment motion against Acting Prime Minister Han Duck-soo for tomorrow, the quorum for the decision remains unclear.

According to a commentary from a Constitutional Court research institute, which both ruling and opposition parties are citing, if the grounds for impeachment are actions taken during Han's time as Prime Minister, a majority of all National Assembly members would be sufficient for passage.

However, if the grounds are related to his duties as Acting President, approval by two-thirds of the Assembly is required, as per presidential criteria.

This means that the quorum varies depending on when and in what position the grounds for impeachment arose.

The impeachment motion filed by the Democratic Party today (12.26) lists actions from both Han's time as Prime Minister and as Acting President.

Woo Won-shik, who will make the initial judgment on the quorum, is expected to announce his position before the plenary session tomorrow.

[Woo Won-shik/National Assembly Speaker/Dec. 24: "The initial judgment on the (quorum) is made by the National Assembly Speaker. I understand that the National Assembly Research Service has provided opinions in response to inquiries from members of the National Assembly. Taking those points into consideration..."]

The Constitutional Court, which will hear the case if the impeachment motion passes, stated that the commentary is merely the opinion of the author and that since the impeachment motion has not passed, there is currently no official position on the quorum.

KBS News, Woo Jung-hwa.