Ruling Party Uses Oh Se-hoon’s Acquittal to Fuel Debate Over Impeaching Cho Hee-dae ... Opposition: “Are They in Their Right Minds?”

[Financial News] The ruling and opposition parties clashed at the National Assembly’s Legislation and Judiciary Committee audit on the 26th over Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon’s acquittal in the second trial concerning alleged proxy payments for Myeong Tae-gyun’s opinion polls.
At a comprehensive audit by the National Assembly’s Legislation and Judiciary Committee that day, the Democratic Party of Korea strongly criticized the judiciary following Mayor Oh’s acquittal and renewed its calls to impeach Supreme Court Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae. The People Power Party, meanwhile, called the Democratic Party’s attacks “unreasonable” and urged that President Lee Jae Myung’s trial resume.
Democratic Party lawmaker Lee Sung-yoon said, “Jo Byeong-gap, a corrupt official who squeezed the people dry and sparked the Donghak Peasant Revolution, became a judge at the High Court and sentenced Choe Si-hyeong, the leader of Donghak, to death.” He argued, “Many people are worried that the situation from 130 years ago could be repeated under Cho Hee-dae’s court.”
Lee said, “Chief Justice Cho called the president’s request for him to renominate a candidate for Supreme Court justice unconstitutional, and the court has recently been giving a free pass to the ringleader of the insurrection and forces complicit in it.” He added, “Mayor Oh did receive the opinion poll results. Is it enough to say he didn’t know the defendant? Impeaching Chief Justice Cho is the only answer.”
Legislation and Judiciary Committee Chair Seo Young-kyo said, “The court acted strangely despite the overwhelming evidence.” She demanded, “I read the first-trial ruling, and all the evidence was laid out. How can it make sense for even the People Power Party to call this an acquittal?”
In response to Seo’s remarks, People Power Party lawmaker Kwak Kyu-taek retorted, “Mayor Oh duly accepted the ruling and was acquitted.” He added, “Shouldn’t the Democratic Party start by protesting that President Lee’s case isn’t being tried sooner?”
Kwak said, “From the very start of the audit, the Democratic Party began laying the groundwork for impeaching Chief Justice Cho.” He added, “It seems they’re stoking the flames for impeachment again today.”
He went on to say, “Are they in their right minds to claim that Mayor Oh’s acquittal has added grounds for impeaching the Chief Justice?” He criticized them for “making unreasonable and irrational remarks throughout the audit.”

[email protected] Kim Hyeong-gu Reporter