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| ▲ Acting President Choi Sang-mok (L), who concurrently serves as deputy prime minister for economic affairs and finance minister, takes an oath at the National Assembly in Seoul on Feb. 6, 2025, during the third hearing of a parliamentary special committee to probe into impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol's insurrection allegations in connection with his botched martial law declaration. (Yonhap) |
parliamentary committee-hearing
Acting president grilled at parliamentary probe into Yoon's insurrection allegation
SEOUL, Feb. 6 (Yonhap) -- Acting President Choi Sang-mok was grilled Thursday at a special parliamentary committee investigating President Yoon Suk Yeol's martial law bid, with opposition lawmakers questioning him about a memo Yoon allegedly gave Choi ordering a budget for an emergency legislative body.
The main opposition Democratic Party (DP) mainly questioned Choi, who was the finance minister on Dec. 3, when Yoon imposed an emergency martial law, about the memo that Yoon allegedly handed to him on the night of the martial law declaration.
"During a parliamentary inquiry session, you said the president handed out documents at the time of the martial law declaration and that you did not take a look at them but shouldn't you have done so," Rep. Choo Mi-ae questioned Choi.
Choi replied someone had handed him a "folded note" but that he was too overwhelmed at the moment to read it.
The memo reportedly outlined measures to cut off operational expenses for the National Assembly and to form a budget for the emergency legislature under martial law.
During the hearing, the DP also criticized Choi's decision to hold off the appointment of opposition-recommended Justice Ma Eun-hyuk as the ninth justice to the Constitutional Court.
The issue of appointments to the nine-member bench, which is currently one member short, has been controversial as its composition could affect the impeachment trial of Yoon.
Thursday's session was also attended by Prime Minister Han Duck-soo and other officials.
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