With President Yoon Suk Yeol continuing to exercise presidential rights with key appointments, the ruling party's floor leader on Friday requested that he veto bills recently passed by the opposition-controlled parliament, including for a contentious law that would mandate government intervention on rice prices.
Rep. Kweon Seong-dong of the People Power Party said in a press conference that the president should reject the bills passed on Nov. 28, accusing the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea of “tyranny" in their unilateral passage. Among the bills targeted for a veto is a revision to the Grain Management Act that would require the government to intervene to stabilize rice prices, including buying surplus rice or releasing government stock.
The main opposition’s two previous attempts to amend the act, which passed the National Assembly, were blocked, with Yoon vetoing them. This is the third time that the liberal party passed a bill of the same effect, this time with a vote of 173 to 80.
"(The ruling party's) former Floor Leader Choo Kyung-ho had requested a veto, which is still effective," Rep. Kweon said.
The president had previously vowed to step away from state affairs following his controversial declaration of martial law on Dec. 3. He faces a parliamentary vote for impeachment on Saturday, amid intensifying investigations into his actions accused of insurgence.
On Thursday in a national address, the president vowed to "fight to the end" to what he claimed were "anti-state powers fighting to control the state affairs."
Asked if Yoon should use his presidential rights in the current situation, Kweon said, "He is still legally the president of the country until he resigns or is impeached."
Despite his earlier pledge, Yoon exercised his executive right by submitting a motion to the parliament for the approval of his nominee to the Supreme Court, Ma Yong-ju.
He also nominated Choi Byung-hyuk, South Korean ambassador to Saudi Arabia, as replacement for recently resigned former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun, which Choi reportedly declined. Rep. Han Ki-ho of Yoon's own party, a former Army general, also said he refused Yoon's nomination.
Earlier in the day, Kweon had told reporters that it is necessary for Yoon to at least name a new defense minister, saying it is not ideal to leave the country's top military post vacant.
As to whether the ruling party will participate in the upcoming parliamentary vote for Yoon's impeachment Saturday, Kweon said the members of the party will freely discuss the matter and reach a decision.
He did say that declaring martial law was a "grave wrongdoing on Yoon's part," but did not comment on whether or not it was unconstitutional as the opposition bloc claims.
The first parliamentary motion for Yoon's impeachment was thwarted when all but three members of the ruling party boycotted the vote on Dec. 7. The motion needs approval from at least 200 of the 300 members of the National Assembly to be passed, after which the process would move to the Constitutional Court.
A Gallup Korea poll on Thursday showed that 75 percent of respondents support Yoon's impeachment, while 71 percent said him declaring martial law was an act of insurrection.
