National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik on Mar. 12 urged acting President Choi Sang-mok to immediately appoint Ma Eun-hyeok as the ninth justice of the Constitutional Court, further escalating political tensions ahead of the court’s ruling on President Yoon Suk-yeol’s impeachment.
“The National Assembly has elected this justice, and I strongly demand that Acting President Choi appoint him without delay,” Woo said at a press conference. “If he refuses to do so immediately, he must publicly explain why.”
The leadership of the main opposition Democratic Party also condemned Choi, with Floor Leader Park Chan-dae calling him “the very embodiment of unconstitutional and unlawful governance” during a party meeting. “Choi has defied the Constitutional Court’s unanimous ruling and refused to appoint Justice Ma,” Park said. Supreme Council member Kim Min-seok took a harsher tone, accusing Choi of ignoring the court’s decision to return a favor to Yoon Suk-yeol, calling Yoon a traitor.
Choi has delayed Ma’s appointment, citing the lack of bipartisan agreement. Ma was one of three justices—along with Cho Han-chang and Jeong Gye-seon—elected by the National Assembly on Dec. 31, but Choi withheld his appointment, arguing that it did not have cross-party consensus. In response, Woo filed a constitutional dispute petition with the Constitutional Court, which ruled on Feb. 27 that Choi’s decision to withhold Ma’s appointment was unlawful. However, Choi has continued to delay the appointment, stating that further deliberation is necessary.
As a result, the Constitutional Court has been proceeding with Yoon’s impeachment trial with only eight justices, one short of the full nine-member bench. Oral arguments in the case have concluded, and the justices are now in closed deliberations.
The renewed push from the Democratic Party to pressure Choi follows a Mar. 8 court ruling that overturned Yoon’s detention. The Seoul Central District Court not only revoked the arrest warrant but also questioned whether the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials had jurisdiction to prosecute Yoon for insurrection. The ruling has fueled speculation that it could influence the impeachment trial, as the Constitutional Court has so far admitted evidence submitted by prosecutors.
Against this backdrop, political analysts suggest the opposition party is now urgently seeking to ensure Ma’s appointment so he can take part in the court’s deliberations. While the party has consistently pushed for his installation since last year, its initial approach focused on procedural measures, with Woo filing a constitutional dispute petition while the party prioritized economic and livelihood issues. Some within the Democratic Party had previously argued that Ma’s absence would not impact the case, anticipating a unanimous ruling from the eight remaining justices to uphold Yoon’s impeachment.
However, since Yoon’s release, the party has escalated its rhetoric, even raising the possibility of filing its 30th impeachment motion against a government official since the administration took office. The shift has led to speculation in political and legal circles that the opposition may not be fully confident in securing a favorable ruling from the Constitutional Court and is now taking a more aggressive approach to bolster its position.
