SOUTH KOREA: Min. Calls For Halt To Removal Of Officials To Avoid Gov't Vacuum

Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Yoo In-chon, delivering comments as a spokesman for the gov't, has called on opposition parties to refrain from seeking the impeachment of members of President Yoon Suk-yeol's administration to avoid a vacuum at the top of gov't. Yoo: "I earnestly appeal to the party with the majority of seats to show wisdom and self-restraint so that legal and political procedures can be carried out in accordance with the rule of law, and so that the government can focus on stable state administration.”

• Yoo also noted that "The National Assembly reported today the impeachment of Minister of Justice Park Sung-jae and Police Commissioner General Cho Ji". This comes in addition to the earlier resignation of Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min, and as Yoo states "all ministers responsible for public safety and judicial administration in the Republic of Korea have become vacant.”
• Yoo's comments come as comments from former special warfare commander Lt. Gen. Kwak Jong-geun claimed that Yoon ordered the removal of lawmakers from the National Assembly during their efforts to repeal the declaration of martial law. Previously, reports had the order (which was not implemented) coming from the defence minister. However, Chosun reports Kwak stating “President Yoon Seok-yeol personally called and told us to break down the door (of the main hall) and drag the lawmakers out.”
• Such comments risk a further escalation in public and political pressure for Yoon to resign or be impeached at the soonest opportunity.