On March 2, People Power Party lawmaker Park Soo-young began an indefinite hunger strike at the rotunda of the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, urging opposition to the appointment of Ma Eun-hyuk as a constitutional court judge candidate. Representative Park stated that the protest will continue until Acting President and Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Choi Sang-mok announces his decision not to appoint Ma.
Park held a press conference at the National Assembly, declaring his stance against Ma’s appointment, criticizing the Democratic Party for delaying participation in a national governance council meeting to pressure Choi to appoint Ma, and emphasizing that Ma should not be appointed without bipartisan agreement.
He also expressed concerns about the fairness of the impeachment trial being compromised if Ma gets involved in the decision after the final pleadings, and warned that appointing Ma could exacerbate national conflicts.
Park noted Ma’s history as a founding member of the “Incheon Democratic Workers’ League,” claiming that appointing him amidst ongoing controversies about the constitutional court’s bias could turn the court into a political institution representing specific ideologies. He highlighted his personal connection with Choi, both being alumni of Seoul National University and passing the administrative exam in the same year, urging Choi to consider Korea’s future.
Meanwhile, the Democratic Party argued that it would be unconstitutional for Choi to not appoint Ma, with spokesperson Hwang Jung-ah accusing Choi of flaunting a “shameful attitude” by delaying the appointment and asserting that compliance with the constitutional court’s decision is essential. Hwang criticized the government’s recent personnel appointments as “entrenching personnel” ahead of an impeachment judgment, viewing Choi’s decision as a political maneuver on schedulement disputes.
The Democratic Party warned that not appointing Ma could lead to severe historical consequences, terming it a “betrayal of duty” and a “deliberate act of constitutional destruction.” The constitutional court had ruled on February 27 that Choi’s delay in appointing Ma violated the National Assembly’s right to compose the court through its selection of judges, imposing a “legal obligation” on Choi to make the appointment, though it is known he does not plan to make an immediate decision.