The National Assembly on Dec. 5 passed impeachment motions filed by the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) against Choi Jae-hae, Chair of the Board of Audit and Inspection, as well as three senior prosecutors: Lee Chang-soo, chief of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office, and prosecutors Cho Sang-won and Choi Jae-hun, both under Lee’s supervision. Following the decision, Choi and the prosecutors will be suspended from their duties once the impeachment resolutions are formally delivered.
The vote took place in a plenary session attended exclusively by opposition lawmakers, as members of the ruling People Power Party (PPP) boycotted the meeting in protest and held a rally condemning the effort. This marks the first time the National Assembly has voted to impeach the nation’s top state auditor.
The impeachment motions against the prosecutors focused on their handling of investigations into the relocation of the presidential office and First Lady Kim Keon Hee. They are accused of failing to prosecute the first lady over her alleged involvement in a stock price manipulation scheme linked to Deutsche Motors.
Initially, the DPK had planned to delay its impeachment push to concentrate on calling for President Yoon Suk-yeol’s resignation. However, after the PPP formally opposed pursuing impeachment proceedings against the president, the DPK reversed its stance and moved forward with the motions.
The DPK accused Choi of obstructing a National Assembly audit by refusing to provide requested records and documents without valid justification. The impeachment motion alleged he withheld meeting records related to the relocation of the presidential office and residence during an Oct. 15 inspection and failed to disclose information during an on-site inspection by the Legislation and Judiciary Committee on Oct. 24, thereby hindering the audit process.
The motion further accused Choi of preventing Board of Audit and Inspection staff from preparing or submitting materials, thereby limiting their ability to perform their duties. The DPK claimed such actions violated several laws, including Article 121 (Request for Attendance of Members of State Council) of the National Assembly Act; Article 12 (Offense of Non-Attendance, etc.) of Act of Testimony and Appraisal Before the National Assembly; and Article 122 (Abandonment of Duties), and Article 123 (Abuse of Authority) of the Criminal Act.
The impeachment motions against the prosecutors stemmed from their handling of the Deutsche Motors case. The DPK accused them of engaging in “political acts” by effectively granting immunity to First Lady Kim. “Issuing non-indictment rulings in favor of the first lady, who is at the center of public suspicion, constitutes a severe dereliction of duty and abuse of power,” the DPK stated in its motion.
