Chairperson Kwon Young-se of the People Power Party said on the 17th, “The state of emergency was clearly wrong. It was an excessive measure.”
Chairperson Kwon noted this at a discussion hosted by the Kwanhoon Club, a gathering of former and current journalists, held at the Korea Press Center in Jung-gu, Seoul, regarding a question about whether the declaration of a state of emergency is considered a legitimate exercise of presidential authority or an unconstitutional act that does not meet constitutional requirements. He said he was curious about the chairperson's judgment on the matter.
He said, “Even considering the outrageous behavior of the Democratic Party of Korea that occurred earlier, I believe that responding to it with a state of emergency was not the right attitude.”
He continued, “However, I think it is inappropriate to conclude whether the (declaration of a state of emergency) meets constitutional requirements or is lawful, as this matter is still under review by the Constitutional Court.”
Chairperson Kwon responded to the inquiry that 'the emergency military troops were deployed to the National Assembly and attempts to cut off power were confirmed. There are claims that these alone are grounds for impeachment' by stating, “Since there is a right to request the (revocation of the emergency state) in the National Assembly, it is problematic to restrict the activities of the National Assembly by deploying troops.”
At the same time, he added, “Whether there were restrictions on National Assembly activities is currently one of the contentious issues under review by the Constitutional Court. I've seen the media report that the president's legal team immediately denied the power-cut aspect, and the most contentious issues, including the arrest of politicians and interference with meetings, are still being debated in the Constitutional Court. In such a situation, I believe it is inappropriate to reach a conclusion on whether to pursue impeachment based on that content.”
He said, “Even if the Constitutional Court recognizes that certain parts did not meet the requirements for a state of emergency, I think it will assess for itself whether the president’s actions were deserving of removal from office.” He added, “I will not comment any further on that matter.”
He continued, “The establishment of a crime of rebellion is a completely separate issue,” adding that “the establishment of a crime of rebellion will be determined by the prosecution and the courts handling criminal cases, and if charged, it will be decided in court. I have my own clear opinion on this matter, but it seems inappropriate for me to speak definitively as it is a matter for investigative and judicial agencies.”