Hong Seok-joon said, "Reporters who voted for impeachment are now more vocal in their opposition."

[YTN radio news fighting! I'm Bae Seunghee]

□ Broadcasting: FM 94.5 (07:15-09:00)
□ Broadcast date and time: December 12, 2024 (Thursday)
□ Host: Attorney Bae Seung-hee
□ Starter: Hong Seok-jun, former member of the People's Power

* The text below may differ from the actual broadcast content, so please check the broadcast for more accurate information.

[YTN Radio <News Fighting, Bae Seunghee]> Please clarify that it's about the interview.]

◆ Lawyer Bae Seung-hee (hereinafter referred to as Bae Seung-hee): I'm Bae Seung-hee from News Fighting. Part 2 <Issue Interview> continues. President Yoon Suk Yeol's future is expected to be decided in the second round of impeachment votes this week. In response, President Yoon Suk Yeol is expected to face impeachment head on. In this regard, we will talk with Hong Seok-joon, a former member of the National Power, at the studio. Are you here?

◇ Hong Seok-jun, former member of the People's Power (hereinafter referred to as Hong Seok-jun): Hello.

◆ Bae Seung-hee: Hello, President Yoon Suk Yeol reportedly stepped down to prepare for the investigation and impeachment trial. It is known that he has begun to form a defense team centered on Kim Hong-il, a former prosecutor-turned-chairman of the Korea Communications Commission. How did you like it?

◇ Hong Seok-jun: The investigation into impeachment, especially the civil war, is now in full swing at the police, prosecutors, and the Senior Civil Servant Corruption Investigations Unit, so it seems that Kim Hong-il, the former chairman of the Korea Communications Commission, has experience and has the ability to lead various comprehensively, so he is preparing for this full-fledged legal preparation.

◆ Bae Seung-hee: That's why it's read as 'I'd rather go to impeachment than early retirement'.

◇ Hong Seok-jun: I think I left it to the party to deal with the political situation, but the TF proposed to deal with the political situation from February to March. Since we talk about the presidential election while proposing something like this, I would rather be judged confidently. Wouldn't this be what President Yoon Suk Yeol means? So when I think about it now, I think a lot about whether the president left the political situation to the party, but the party is responding in this way.

◆ Bae Seung-hee: Yes. So in the party. There are also voices from senior lawmakers saying, "The crime of rebellion cannot be established." Rep. Yoon Sang-hyun, a five-term senior, expressed his position that emergency martial law is a highly political act. What do you think?

◇ Hong Seok-jun: This is not only the thoughts of senior members of the party, but also the thoughts of many constitutional scholars and some experts in this field as far as I know. Because the Constitutional Court is now under the Constitution in 1987, there is no case of emergency martial law, but before that, the Supreme Court precedents are quite stacked. Most of the Supreme Court precedents I know are that emergency martial law is a highly political act, which is excluded from any governance or judicial review. There are many Supreme Court precedents, so many experts seem to be making this argument based on this.

◆ Bae Seung-hee: So if we go to the Constitutional Court, it seems that the issue will be whether the crime of rebellion is established, but would we have judged that there is a little chance of winning?

◇ Hong Seok-jun: Yes, I think I have a good chance of winning. Because the crime of rebellion itself is a little tricky to construct. In other words, the meaning of the purpose here is important for the purpose of repenting on the land or for the purpose of national constitutional controversy, and to prove this as the scope of the purpose, can't the only party to this emergency martial law, the emergency martial law, as the head of state, be allowed to do so? Therefore, it is necessary to prove what purpose the president had in this kind of national constitution and some kind of controversy, but this is very difficult. Then, there was a requirement to riot again, and according to the Supreme Court in 1997, rioting is also stipulated in the precedent that it is a case of exercising physical force such as violence while occupying a certain area. There is a considerable objection to whether the mobilization of hundreds of troops is a riot, so it will be very difficult to prove such a rebellion.

◆ Bae Seung-hee: President Yoon is also under investigation. In addition, if the impeachment motion is passed, it will have to be tried for impeachment, which could lead to such double trouble. How is this possible?

◇ Hong Seok-jun: Yes, that's right. You are facing double trouble, but when Park Geun Hye was impeached, impeachment and bribery were conducted at the same time. So, there are many other provisions, and according to Article 51 of the Constitutional Court, the Constitutional Court can suspend certain hearings when proceeding with other litigation, especially criminal proceedings. There are also these provisions. Of course, it is absolutely the discretion of the Constitutional Court, but the reason for this regulation is that there seems to be a clause like Article 51 because if there is another lawsuit in this serious reason such as impeachment, there may be a problem with this response, but it seems clear that we are facing some difficulties anyway.

◆ Bae Seung-hee: If we follow the provisions, it would be a situation where we will have a criminal trial for this rebellion that we are investigating now and then an impeachment trial.

◇ Hong Seok-jun: That's right. If the prosecution proceeds first, the Constitutional Court can suspend it again on the basis of Article 51, but this is entirely the discretion of the Constitutional Court

◆ Bae Seung-hee: I see. People's power is expected to participate in the second round of impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol. There have already been at least five lawmakers who have publicly said they will vote for it. This time, it is difficult to prevent the passage of the bill
◇ Hong Seok-jun: I think the possibility of impeachment is a little higher than last week because many lawmakers said they would vote again regardless of the position of favor for impeachment. I think so. But I still think that the majority in the party is that when impeachment is carried out, there will be a great division of public opinion after the impeachment of President Park Geun Hye, especially some position as a conservative party, and when Park Geun Hye was impeached on December 9, 2016, it was as if it was going to be interpreted as a people's trial, but over time, many of the things that happened were misjudged as fake news or inaccurate information. It is true that some lawmakers, especially some public opinion, are still calling for opposition to impeachment using this situation as a learning effect.
◇ Hong Seok-jun: But what I want to say at this point is that those who supported impeachment, which was rather in favor of then, are now raising their voices against it. That is why any choice at this moment can be considered historical, which can be returned with great regret later. I hope that the members of the People's Power will make a judgment, thinking about this not at this point, but at some point in the distant future.

◆ Is that why? Daegu Mayor Hong Joon Pyo said Remingers who participated in impeachment should be removed from office. That's how I made the claim.

◇ Hong Seok-jun: As you know well at the time, in the case of mayor of Hong Joon Pyo, as the governor of Gyeongsangnam-do, after this impeachment, didn't you experience difficulties in the election more than anyone else while holding the presidential election with a very low approval rating? That's why it seems to be a strong warning message that lawmakers who voted for impeachment will have to be cautious about impeachment or it will be very difficult for them to become politicians.

◆ Bae Seung-hee: Inside and outside the party, if the impeachment is passed, the leadership should be held accountable. Representative Han Dong-hoon should resign. This kind of voice is coming out. What will happen to this leadership?

◇ Hong Seok-jun: Of course, I think that the entire Supreme Committee of the party leadership, not a specific person, should resign in terms of responsible politics. Some people think that this is like shaking the Han Dong-won system, but this is a very idle sound. As the ruling party, if the president was impeached for any reason and nothing happened to this part, what meaning would this have as a party? It is a common practice and part of the responsibility politics that when we usually have a big deal, for example, we lose the general election, or when a big deal happens, the leadership should take responsibility for it and resign. Joo Kyung-won, the floor leader, has already resigned, hasn't he? I don't think it's a politician's duty to hold out without resigning here.

◆ Bae Seung-hee: Yeah, but by the way. If you oppose impeachment or oppose impeachment now, don't you go to the front of the office to hold a rally and exchange harmony? And don't you hold large-scale resignation rallies every Saturday around Yeouido and around the city center? Do these things affect the people's power lawmakers?

◇ Hong Seok-jun: Of course it does. I fully understand that many people are actually surprised by the emergency martial law, but now it is as if it is a people's trial. For example, if you don't express your position on impeachment, don't celebrities see Lee Myung-woong and Cha Eun-woo as if they're very wrong? Aren't they also undergoing some cyber terrorism right now? And lawmakers also do something like that in the district party council office, which I see as a kind of political terrorism.
◇ Hong Seok-jun: And the Democratic Party's decision to set the current voting date to Saturday is quite likely to be easy for people, especially those on the left, to hold such an impeachment rally, especially when the impeachment was voted down last week, is an act of destroying the rule of law that ignores the most important principle of the rule of law in Korea right now: the principle of insolation and the principle of insolation, and continuing to push ahead with impeachment in this way, I think over time, the Democratic Party will be criticized for having a huge aftermath.

◆ Bae Seung-hee: I see. This time, let's move on to the election of the People's Power Floor Leader. Senior officials, centered on the pro-Moon community, are carrying the power of Rep. Kwon Sung-dong. Some in the party say that the pro-broadcast floor leader is appropriate for the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol, is it correct?

◇ Hong Seok-jun: First of all, both of you who expressed your intention to run for floor leader No. 2 were excellent and made great decisions. In a difficult situation like this, it would be difficult for anyone to take the position of floor leader, but I would like to say that he has made a big decision, but at this point, it is too idle to argue that someone is a close relationship, and I think I will be criticized by the people if I think about it like this. Therefore, I don't think we should give any meaning to who should or shouldn't, and we should only look at who can deal with this, this, this, this, this, and this, this, this, this, this, this, this, this, this, this, this, this, this, this, this, and this. In that sense, the party's current public opinion, especially the senior, should be in charge of the floor leadership in any situation like this. In this respect, it seems that there is a relatively generous evaluation of lawmaker Kwon Sung-dong.

◆ Bae Seung-hee: But it's today on the 12th. Isn't there a vote on the impeachment motion on the 14th? However, I think the public would think that selecting floor leader Lee two days ago is a bit idle. Does he still feel that idle?

◇ Hong Seok-jun: There can be some kind of criticism. However, the inevitable situation seems to be related to any personal information of floor leader Choo Kyung-ho. Because as you know well, the media strongly said that they are the helpers of the current civil war and that they have been asked to attend the investigation. So, it seems that this inevitable situation occurred because the floor leader eventually replaced it because he/she rejected the floor leader to the end in conjunction with a personal personal problem.

◆ BAE SEUNG HEE: Yes. What is the position of the impeachment vote party against the president of Yoon Suk Yeol? Are you still opposed by party doctrine?

◇ Hong Seok-jun: So, if the floor leader decides today whether it's a new election or a vote on the floor, I think the new floor leader will decide through a general meeting on how to vote and what to do when he participates. However, I'll tell you once again how the voting is done, but I think the mainstream opinion in the party is that it will be necessary to make a cold judgment with the determination to become a politician with no regrets in the history of the Republic of Korea, especially in a situation where many Democratic Party of Korea's propaganda and fake news are prevailing in this situation.

◆ Bae Seung-hee: I see. By the way. According to a report by a certain media outlet this morning, Han Dong-hoon also turned to approval, and Han and the party's leadership are also turning to approval of impeachment.

◇ Hong Seok-jun: I think the media report is a little unreliable, and for now, representative Han Dong-hoon should participate in the impeachment vote. I think this kind of atmosphere is right. Nevertheless, I don't think it's within my knowledge that the party's supreme council is supporting impeachment.

◆ Bae Seung-hee: I see. I see. If the impeachment bill is passed like this, it will be judged, but in the midst of this, Chairman Lee Jae-myung is deliberately delaying the trial process of the appeals court for violating the Public Official Election Act. There's also this argument. How do you see it?

◇ Hong Seok-jun: I think that the rule of law has been established along with the economy, which is the strongest reason why our Republic has been able to grow into an advanced country so far. However, in light of the recent impeachment attacks and pushbacks mentioned earlier in the impeachment phase, the rule of law is being undermined, and it is very inappropriate to definitively push the president now as if he were some kind of instigator of the current rebellion, in light of the presumption of innocence. Even Chairman Lee Jae-myung is not receiving any notice right now on purpose to delay the appeal of the Public Official Election Act. Right. So, to use some kind of delay or some kind of tactic is not a position where I was the representative responsible for the party. However, former lawmaker Choi Kang-wook has already used any strategy that delayed him because he was not notified in this way, and I think we need to respond confidently to some judicial review now if we don't want to be framed for Lee Jae-myung's impeachment to bulletproof business risks.

◆ Bae Seung-hee: Then when will the appeals court's ruling come out?
◇ Hong Seok-jun: Right now, Supreme Court Justice Cho Hee-dae is also emphasizing it.Ma is not some kind of story of a Supreme Court chief justice, but isn't there now the 633 principle of the law? I think it is of course correct to comply with certain compulsory regulations such as six months, three months, and three months in certain legal regulations.

◆ Bae Seung-hee: I see. Despite such a delay operation, it will surely come out within three months.

◇ Hong Seok-jun: Yes, I want to believe that and I think it's a basic condition of action for the Republic of Korea to move forward alive in any kind of chaotic situation.

◆ Bae Seung-hee: But CEO Lee Jae-myung did not attend at all in cases related to Daejang-dong other than that case.

◇ Hong Seok-jun: I'm really seeing a lot of such reports right now, but this is not the only time that representative Lee Jae-myung is attending a trial. That's why representative Lee Jae-myung is really ignoring the rule of law judiciary. So I'm really worried, but if the Democratic Party and Chairman Lee Jae-myung take power, I'm very worried that they will do a lot of strange things that have never been seen before.

◆ Bae Seung-hee: Today is the 12th of the Supreme Court's sentencing day. How do you expect a Supreme Court sentence?

◇ Hong Seok-jun: Yes, because the facts of the Supreme Court are almost unchanged now, and no special situation has occurred since then, I think there will be a 99.999% chance of being sentenced by the Supreme Court as it is by an appeals court for two years in prison. However, it is also true that even if the current representative of the country goes now, depending on what kind of government comes into power later, there is a great concern that the Supreme Court's sentence, especially the judiciary's decision, could be punished.

◆ Bae Seung-hee: I see. The Democratic Party is now considering impeaching Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, following the impeachment of the justice minister and the police chief. Former Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum said, "It's too much to push for the impeachment of Prime Minister Han Deok-soo." Will the Democratic Party really push for Prime Minister Han Deok-soo to be impeached?

◇ Hong Seok-jun: What would Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum have really said? Under Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party of Korea is currently impeaching him, so the Minister of Audit and Inspection, They are impeaching prosecutors who are investigating them. What kind of impeachment is causing the state administration to become so paralyzed and the ministries to become paralyzed, causing damage to the people, many companies and Korea. If Prime Minister Han Deok-soo is impeached like this, then the acting president will be impeached now. Then who will lead this country, who will act as acting president, and what kind of security, economy and people's livelihoods are the Democratic Party of Korea having in mind to run this country right now? The impeachment is now being carried out, and in the end, the purpose of doing this is to cause the public office to continue to make certain reports and reports by presenting the threat, but I would like to warn you that if you do it this way, you will eventually face a huge backlash.

◆ Bae Seung-hee: I see. Thank you for your words today.

◇ Hong Seok-jun: Yes, thank you.

◆ Bae Seung-hee: This has been Hong Seok-jun, a member of the National Power. Thank you.

◇ Hong Seok-jun: Thank you.