National Assembly takes step toward vote on impeachment of head of state auditor this week

The main opposition Democratic Party (DP) on Monday reported an impeachment motion against Board of Audit and Inspection (BAI) Chair Choe Jae-hae during a parliamentary plenary session, prompting the opposition-controlled National Assembly to vote on the impeachment this week.

The National Assembly will put the motion to a vote at the upcoming plenary session Wednesday. By law, an impeachment motion must be put to a vote between 24 and 72 hours after the motion is reported to a plenary session.

This marks the first time an impeachment motion against the head of the BAI has been raised in the National Assembly.

The DP has sought Choe’s impeachment, pointing to shortcomings in the BAI’s review of alleged irregularities surrounding the 2022 relocation of the presidential office, which took place in line with a campaign pledge of President Yoon Suk Yeol. It also took issue with Choe’s refusal to comply with a parliamentary request to submit documents related to the audit.

Additionally, the DP reported impeachment motions against Lee Chang-soo, chief of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office, and two other top prosecutors, accusing them of failing to indict first lady Kim Keon Hee despite allegations of her stock price manipulation.