Editorial: Impeachment push for deputy PM is irresponsible amid economic crisis

Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok (second from right) talks with Financial Supervisory Service Governor Lee Bok-hyun (far left), Bank of Korea Governor Rhee Chang-yong (second from left), and Financial Services Commission Chairman Kim Byoung-hwan during a meeting at the Korea Federation of Banks in Seoul on April 11. /Courtesy of the Ministry of Economy and Finance

South Korea’s Democratic Party (DP) has scheduled a hearing for April 16 to begin the impeachment process against Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Choi Sang-mok. Testifying alongside him will be Bank of Korea Governor Rhee Chang-yong, Financial Services Commission Chairman Kim Byoung-hwan, and Financial Supervisory Service Governor Lee Bok-hyun—core members of the country’s macroeconomic and financial policy team. Calling in the entire economic and financial leadership in the middle of a tariff war triggered by U.S. President Donald Trump to investigate alleged martial law conspiracy is beyond reason.

Allegations of conspiracy and delays in appointing a Constitutional Court justice were already rejected in the impeachment ruling on acting President Han Duck-soo. At the time, Choi—who was serving as acting president—opposed the martial law proposal in a cabinet meeting. Justice Ma Eun-hyuk has since been appointed. Still, the DP is pushing to impeach Choi amid a tariff crisis. It appears to be nothing more than political retaliation and stubbornness.

Choi served as acting president for three months starting late last year, overseeing the economy, national security, and even disaster response during wildfires. Despite this, the DP repeatedly threatened to impeach him, and former party leader Lee Jae-myung even warned him to “watch out.” Now the party is questioning whether a meeting Choi led immediately after the Dec. 3 martial law order involved any illegal plans, dragging in the heads of the central bank and financial watchdogs. But what does a financial meeting have to do with an insurrection? The economy is being sidelined for the sake of election politics.

While major countries are mounting bipartisan responses to Trump’s tariff war, South Korea is heading in the opposite direction. In Japan, all parties declared a halt to political fighting, calling the situation a national emergency. Germany formed a left-right coalition to respond. But in Korea, even the top economic and financial officials are being dragged into impeachment battles. Some Democratic Party members are also pushing for another attempt to impeach acting President Han. How can the government conduct trade or security talks with Washington under these conditions? The DP should abandon its fruitless push to impeach Choi and instead lead efforts to form a national consultative body and pass an extra budget to support exports and businesses.